Sky Blue and Black
by Moon Raven2
Summary: A woman from Jimmy's past shows up in Sweetwater, and she's brought a whole load of trouble with her. What secrets is she hiding? COMPLETE
1. Sky Blue and Black I

Sky Blue and Black   
Part I

* * *

Author's Notes, Disclaimers, etc.:   
Hi. I don't own any characters pertaining to The Young Riders. Don't sue me. I do, however, own Brenna Mackenzie and her shiny, happy family (heh), so please don't use her without my permission - which I would most likely give considering how extremely flattered I would be. I'm a pushover.

Sososo...my first attempted at TYR fanfic. Woohoo! ::happy dance:: Um. Anyway. The reason I bring this up is because A) I wanna and B) I'm hoping I'll get some sympathy points and you won't be too hard on me. :)

Anyway! I'll shut up about all that now. This story takes place sometime late in season 1, after "Matched Pair" for sure. Ike is alive and well (thank God!) and Emma is still keeping (or trying to keep) these silly boys in line.

Most of my stories are named after a song, and this one is no exception. However, much to my frowniness (if that's even a word - I don't think it is), this particular song was, of course, not around back in the nineteenth century. It's by Jackson Browne, and since I can't use it _in_ the story, I'll be putting little blurbs from it at the beginning of each chapter/section/part/whatever.

Yay! I'm done. Review me and I'll love you forever, and try to stop by my web site at  I don't have any TYR stuff up (laziness), but there's X-Files, Homicide: Life on the Street and heaps of Sailor Moon, plus fanfic I've written based on all three (not together... but wouldn't that be tres bizarre?).

On with the show at last.

* * *

"In the calling out to one another of the lovers up and down the strand;   
In the sound of the waves and the cries of the seagulls circling the sand;   
In the fragments of the songs carried down the wind from some radio;   
In the murmuring of the city in the distance, ominous and low,   
I hear the sound of the world where we played,   
And the far too simple beauty of the promises we made."   
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

"Cody, would you hurry up? Some of us have better things to do than hang around the store all day while you gawk at things you can't even afford," James Hickok said irritably to his friend and fellow rider, William Cody. 

"I'm comin', Jimmy, I'm comin'! But would you just look at this saddle? Ain't it a beauty?" he said fondly, stroking the soft, supple leather with a wistful sigh.

Buck Cross and the Kid came up behind him to peer over his shoulder. "That's pretty nice, Cody. If you start savin' your money now, you might be able to afford it by the time you're eighty - especially the way _you_ save money," the half-Kiowa said with a smile.

"Yeah, but by then you'll be too old to ride anyway, so you'd just have to give it to me," Kid replied, grinning broadly.

"Well, boys, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but ain't none of you gonna have this particular saddle," Tompkins, the storeowner, said with more than a little bit of smugness flavoring his voice.

"What? Look, Tompkins, Teaspoon all ready told you you couldn't refuse-"

"This has nothin' to do with that, Hickok, calm down. I just mean that that saddle's all ready been sold; in fact, she's right outside waitin' for me to bring it out. Sorry, boys."

"_She_?!" Cody demanded of the others, aghast, as Tompkins left the store, saddle in hand.

"Yep," he said over his shoulder, "_she_. Come see for yourself if you don't believe me."

The four of them were quick to take him up on the invitation, Jimmy somehow finding himself in the lead. As he stepped through the doorway and out onto the wooden sidewalk, he stopped dead, the others running into him from behind.

"What the hell are you doin', Jimmy? I gotta see the girl who bought that saddle!" Cody demanded, peering over his friend's shoulder.

Buck glanced from the expression on Jimmy's face to the girl Tompkins was talking to and back again. "You know her, Jimmy?" he asked, squinting into the sun as he tried to get a better look at the young woman.

"Her name's Llewellyn...Brenna Llewellyn Mackenzie. I knew her once, a long time ago," Jimmy answered softly, staring at her as though she were a vision, a long-sought phantom sent from his past at the expense of his present and his future.

She was dressed like a man in brown pants, cream colored shirt, long suede coat and dark brown hat, the latter of which was thrown off her head and onto her back despite the blinding, late-day sun that played with the hidden fires in her long brown hair. She was slender, but not skinny, and there was a supple grace in the way she moved, an easy, natural elegance that not even masculine clothing could disguise.

"Wow," Cody murmured, his obsession with the saddle momentarily forgotten, "she sure is pretty. Her name's Lou Ellen, you said?"

"No, not 'Lou Ellen,' like that...softer...'L'welen.' Anyway, we all just called her 'Ellie.'"

"_We_?" Kid asked, eyebrows raised.

"That's what I said, Kid. You got some sorta hearin' problem?" he replied testily, that soft wistfulness in his voice replaced suddenly with impatience.

"You boys plannin' on buyin' somethin', or are ya just gonna stand around blockin' my door all day?" Tompkins, having delivered the saddle to its new owner, demanded of them with a scowl.

"Nah, we're done. We just need to load up our stuff. Sorry about that, Tompkins," Kid interjected before Jimmy could say something completely rude and tactless. "Let's go, y'all."

Jimmy's eyes were trained solely on the girl even as he followed Kid to the wagon. "I wonder if she remembers me?" he asked a nearby rock.

"Why don't you go find out?" Buck replied in the stone's stead. "I'm sure she'll remember your name even if she's forgotten your face."

"Yeah, my name - '_Wild_ _Bill_ Hickok,'" he said bitterly.

"That's not what I meant, Jimmy, and you know it."

Before the other could reply to this, however, the query he'd posed to the rock was answered. "James?" a voice called. "Jamey Hickok, is that really you!?"

"_Jamey_? Did she just call you _Jamey_ Hickok?" Cody asked with a laugh.

"Hey! She's the only one who can call me that without gettin' shot!" With that and a glare, he turned to face her. "Yeah, I'm James Hickok." For some stupid reason, he suddenly decided to pretend he didn't remember who she was. He didn't want her to know how seeing her again had affected him. He didn't want anyone to know.

"Jamey, it's me, Brenna - I mean, _Ellie_ - Mackenzie. Do you remember?" She tossed her long brown braid over one shoulder and gestured for the small wolf sitting at her horse's feet to follow her as she approached them. "It's been a long time! I almost didn't recognize you!"

"Ellie...yeah, of course I remember you. It's been, what...over a year?"

"Almost three now. What are you doing here in Sweetwater?"

"I could ask you the same thing. It's a pretty small town. You're the last person I expected to run into after all this time." He wouldn't meet her eyes, instead staring at some insignificant spot on the ground and shuffling his feet nervously.

"Jamey, is something wrong?  I thought you would be a little bit happier to see me after so long. We did part on good terms, didn't we?" she asked, brow creased in concern as she watched him.

He sighed and glanced up at her with a self-conscious grin. "I'm sorry, Ellie, it's just been so damn long that I've forgotten how to act around you. They don't let us outta our cages much."

"They?" she asked, amused.

"Yes, ma'am," Cody interrupted, seeing his opportunity and taking it with his usual relish, "what you're lookin' at here is the finest Russell, Majors and Waddell has to offer. We are the best Pony Express riders in the territory." He tipped his hat with what he considered his most charming grin, blue eyes sparkling brightly, and said, "I'm William F. Cody, ma'am - Billy, if ya like - at your service. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

She nearly laughed then, but carefully held it in check - she didn't want to insult the boy, after all. "Brenna Mackenzie, Mr. Cody. Nice to meet you. The Pony Express, you say? Why, Jamey, that's quite a surprise, especially considering your place of employment when I last saw you."

"Where was that, exactly?" Kid asked. "I think we're all curious about where you two know each other from."

She glanced first at Jimmy and then back at the Kid. With a shrug, she said, "It was a long time ago... water under the bridge and all that. Anyway...Jamey, are you not going to introduce me to the rest of your friends?" she asked, neatly changing the subject much to Jimmy's relief.

"Oh, yeah, of course. Cody was doin' such a fine job of it that I forgot," he said, the sarcastic edge to his voice not lost on the blond rider. "The other two are Buck Cross and the Kid." She offered each a nod and a smile as his name was called. "Like Cody said," Jimmy continued, "we work for the Pony Express. We live just outside of town, at Emma Shannon's place. I guess that don't mean nothin' to you, though, huh?"

"No, not much," she agreed with a grin. "I'm actually just passing through on my way north. I've been living with the Lakota since last I saw you, but I figured it was pretty much time to move on again."

"The Lakota?" Buck questioned intently. "You wouldn't be River Moon, would you?"

Her gray-green eyes narrowed slightly. "How do you know my name?"

He smiled, and she relaxed her guard in spite of herself. "Many know it. You travel with a silver horse and a blue-eyed wolf, and you carry twin knives with silver handles. You're the white daughter of the Lakota tribe, a famous healer...it's good to see that the Lakota weren't just spinning tales when they told of you."

"Oh," she said with a blush, "I didn't know they _were_ telling of me. You're not Lakota." It wasn't a question, but neither was it an accusation. Simply an observation.

"No, I'm half Kiowa. My half brother is Red Bear."

"I know him. You're Running Buck?"

"It looks like I don't have the advantage after all. You can't believe anything Red Bear says about me," he said, only half joking.

She smiled serenely, and her voice was soft when she said, "He told me you're a great warrior with the courage of the bear, the ferocity of the mountain cat and the speed of your namesake. Should I not believe it?"

Buck went completely still, shocked by her words to the very core. "Did my brother also tell you that he has branded me a traitor to my people?" he asked at last.

She shrugged. "You have two peoples, the way I see it, and eventually you had to choose one. Red Bear is just sore that you didn't choose the path _he_ set for you." She grinned suddenly, and the tension was broken. "Besides, my Fa considers me a traitor, too, for leaving home the way I did. No one can hope to live up to his family's expectations for him, now can he?"

"That's the truth," Kid remarked, turning away from the conversation to continue loading the wagon.

"I seem to be keeping you from your work, gentlemen. I should be going. Jamey, it was good to see you again, and Buck, it was nice to finally put a face to the name. Kid, Billy, good to meet you as well."

She turned to go, but Jimmy called her back. "Almost three years and you're leavin' so quick? Why don't you come have supper with us? Emma won't mind."

"Yeah, and I'd like to try out that new saddle you got there!" Cody said with an envious glance that encompassed the beautiful silver mare as well as the saddle on her back.

Brenna glanced down at her little wolf and then up at the boys. "I don't know..." she said hesitantly. "We have a lot of ground to cover, and I don't want to be an imposition."

"Come on, Brenna, Emma's a great cook," Kid urged, "and you'd be doing _us_ a favor; maybe we could talk about something other than Cody for once!"

She laughed. "Well, when you put it that way! Sure, I guess supper would be all right. A few hours couldn't hurt, could it? Here, I'll help you load up," she offered, grabbing a small bag of oats and approaching the wagon.

"You don't need to do that, Ellie, we've got it under control," Jimmy said quickly, taking the bag as though it might burn her if he didn't hurry.

"Jamey-" she began, concerned at his continued nervousness.

"Come on, I'll help you with Luna," he said, hurrying away from the others and toward the horse. What the hell was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just relax and let things be as they had always been before? They'd been friends once, the best of friends, so why could he barely even look at her now without feeling like his tongue had been tied into one big, stupid, worthless knot?

"What-?" She shook her head, frowning deeply, as she watched him walk away. "Does he think I can't handle my own horse?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Buck said from just over her shoulder. "He's pretty moody, you know."

"Yeah, but...well, anyway. I guess I should just talk to him, huh?" She glanced back at him with a grin, and was surprised by the look in his dark, soulful brown eyes. Feeling sudden heat flood her cheeks, she looked away quickly. "I guess, um... I guess I'll just go do that now," she said softly, following Jimmy without looking back at Buck again.

Her hand on his arm startled him, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. "Damn it, Ellie, you shouldn't sneak up on a man like that."

"Maybe you could tell me what the hell's wrong with you," she said with a deep frown, the hurt, accusing look in her smoky green eyes cutting him to the quick.

"What're you talkin' about? Why would you think somethin' was wrong?" he asked, looking away and making a big production of tightening Luna's saddle girth.

"Ohhh, maybe because we haven't seen each other in almost three years, yet you won't even look me in the eye. Did I do something, Jamey? Are you mad at me for leaving like I did? You know I had to. I thought you understood!" she said desperately.

He sighed and at last turned to face her full-on. "I understood, Ellie; he hit you. You couldn't stay there. I ain't mad at you for leavin'. You never did like it there in the first place."

"No, I didn't...I hated living with the judge, with all his rules and orders. It was like living under a dictator. But as much I disliked it, you made it bearable, Jamey, you kept me sane." She moved a step closer, and he could see the accusation turning to sadness. "I'm not sorry I left the judge, but I _am_ sorry I left you. You were my friend, James, and I'd like to think you still are. Please tell me what's wrong. If you want me to leave-"

"No, that's not it," he interrupted. "I'm glad you're here, it's just that...damn, you've changed so much! Last time I saw you, you were a kid. Now you're all grown up."

She laughed, greatly relieved. "Well of course I am! I was sixteen then; now I'm almost nineteen. We've _both_ changed a lot since then. I guess we'll just have to get to know each other all over again."

The sight of her smile and the sound of her laugh made him feel better than he had in a long, long time, and he found himself returning both. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sorry, El. Friends?" He offered his hand, and she shook it with a bright grin.

"Always," she agreed.

End I

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Enjoying the story so far? Why not review me? :) 


	2. Sky Blue and Black II

Sky Blue and Black   
Part II

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"If you ever need holding,   
Call my name;   
I'll be there.   
If you ever need holding,   
No holding back,   
I'll see you through,   
Sky blue and black."   
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

It had been decided that Jimmy and Brenna should go on to Emma's ahead of the others, so now they found themselves riding in a deep, comfortable silence. The sun had set, and the sky was the dark, glowing blue that often comes just before night settles itself in for good. The Evening Star hung bright in the sky, and Brenna watched it as they rode, wondering how best to bring up a subject that was sure to send Jimmy's temper soaring.

"So I guess you're famous now," he said suddenly, startling her out of her thoughts.

"What? Oh, that...yeah, I guess I am. Strange, isn't it? Being famous, I mean. Sometimes being a legend can be quite a burden," she said, her voice gently probing as she steered Luna around a snoozing lizard. The creature nearly got its tail stepped on when, in a panic, it bolted upright and skittered across the road, Diana chasing after the poor thing in ecstatic joy. "Diana, back," she said, not raising her voice, and the wolf returned to her side instantly.

Jimmy watched the two animals in amusement before turning his attention back to Brenna. He let out a long sigh, knowing exactly what she was getting at. "You've read the book, I take it."

She shrugged, not looking over at him. "I recognized your picture on the cover, and I wondered why in the hell you were calling yourself 'Wild Bill Hickok.' It wasn't long before I figured out that the writer had a rather wild imagination."

"How do you know it's not true?" he challenged, using that voice that told her was testing her. It was Jimmy's way of keeping everyone at bay: when someone started getting to him, he threw up the ol' "I'm-too-pissed-off-at-the-world-to-care-about-you" defense mechanism.

She moved her horse in front of his, horizontal across the road, in order to block his progress. "Look at me, Jamey."

"What?" he said in confusion as he sharply reined in his own horse to avoid hitting her.

"I said _look at me_. Really look at me, like the way you used to. I knew it was a bunch of lies because I know _you_. Twenty kills in eighteen years indeed! The judge taught you to use that lovely Navy Colt you carry, but you don't use it _for_ him, and you don't use it to kill for the hell of it. No matter what you think of yourself, James, you're no killer, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise." With that, she tugged on the reins and sent Luna trotting down the road again.

Before long, Jimmy's golden horse was back alongside her silver one. "If I had wanted to be a hired gun, I would've stayed with him," he said softly.

"I know that. What made you decide to leave?"

"It wasn't long after you did. He...he had Brad and I face off. I couldn't shoot, but Brad did...luckily the judge had taken out all our bullets. I guess I realized that if I stayed, one of us was gonna have to kill the other. I didn't want that to happen, so I left."

"I'm glad you did. The thought of you still there, with that lunatic, it scared me. I wish you'd've just come with me."

"Yeah, I guess I probably shoulda. I might not've ended up killin' Brad if I had."

"What!? When did you kill Brad!?!" she cried. She hadn't been as close to Brad as she was to Jimmy, but she still considered him a good friend, and the news of his death was a shock.

He frowned deeply, the memory still fresh and painful. "The judge was on trial, and Clara had sent me the evidence that proved he was guilty. Brad found out I had it, and he called me out. I shot him." He said it slowly, but matter of factly, and she could sense how much it hurt.

"Oh," she finally breathed. "I'm sorry, Jamey."

"Me too." There was another silence, one of respect this time, until he said, "I took his Colt. I'd like to give it to you."

She looked over at him, surprised anew. "No, James, it should be yours," she insisted quickly.

"If he was gonna give the second one to someone, it shoulda been you, Ellie, and you know it. You're twice the shot Brad was. If it had been you and me in that standoff, I'd be the one dead now."

"Don't say that! Look, Jamey, you and I both know you should be the one to carry that gun. I have the one you gave me, and it's plenty good enough for me. Besides, why would I want anything from that nasty old man anyway? I hated him," she said with a vehemence that surprised him, though he supposed it shouldn't have.

"All right, point taken. I'll keep it safe, just in case you change your mind." She said nothing, and he decided to change the subject. "So, what's all this 'Brenna' stuff? I thought you went by 'Llewellyn.'"

Thankful for his tact, she smiled. "I used to, but I figured it would be more likely to throw Fa off my trail if suddenly no one knew who Llewellyn Mackenzie was. It's not much, I know, but I couldn't bear to come up with a completely different name. Besides, everyone always pronounces it wrong: Lou Ellen. Bluh." She wrinkled up her nose in disgust.

He didn't tell her that Cody had done just that until corrected. "Is he lookin' for ya? Your father, I mean."

"I don't know, but I don't want to take any chances. You know how my Fa can be."

He nodded, having heard the stories before, and gestured up ahead. "Well, looks like we're here. That's Emma's house over there, and that's the bunkhouse, and there's the barn," he said, gesturing to each small structure in turn. They rode into the yard and dismounted, and a young man came running from the barn to take their horses.

"Hey, Ike, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine. Ellie, this is Ike McSwain, one of the other riders. Ike, Brenna Mackenzie. Ike don't talk besides Indian sign, but he can hear."

She smiled brightly. "It's nice to meet you, Ike. I'm fluent in Indian sign, so I don't think we'll have much trouble communicating."

He grinned back, but before he could reply, Diana was all over him, blue eyes bright and twinkling, her own smile stretching from ear to gray, pointy ear. Ike petted her, scratching behind her ears and along her back, and she stared up at him adoringly, tail twirling.

Brenna watched all this with amusement, eyebrows raised. "Well, Ike, you just gained a huge vote of confidence in my book: if Diana loves you that much all ready, then you can't be all bad," she said with a laugh.

"Hey, Jimmy!" a voice called from the porch of the bunkhouse. "Where's everyone else with the wagon?" The small figure jumped down and ran across the yard, stopping short at the sight of Brenna. "Who's that?"

"Relax, Lou, she's a friend of mine. Brenna, this is Lou McCloud. Lou, I'd like you to meet Brenna Mackenzie. She's stayin' for supper."

"Hi, Lou. The others sent us ahead, but they should be along soon," she said, wondering why this girl was taking such great pains to disguise herself as a boy. She supposed, on closer thought, that the company they all worked for wouldn't allow women to ride for them. Stupid. She and Luna were as good a team as any other she'd ever seen; Lou, despite her small stature, was probably just as good as any man.

"I'll just go tell Emma that we're havin' company," she said, her voice not losing that slightly defensive, suspicious tone.

Brenna watched her walk away with a slight frown. "Why do I get the feeling that she doesn't like me very much?" she asked with a glance over her shoulder at the two boys.

They shared an alarmed glance, and Jimmy said, "She? She who?"

"Why, Lou, of course." She glanced between the two and laughed. "Oh! Right. I just kinda figured it out. Don't worry; I won't mention it to her." They still wore incredibly shocked impressions, and something new and alarming suddenly occurred to her. "You did _know_, didn't you? I didn't just blow Lou's-"

"No, we knew," Jimmy interrupted quickly. "You just caught us off guard is all. Most people don't know she's a girl...hell, _we_ didn't know for a couple a months. Just don't say anything around Teaspoon. He doesn't know, and Lou might get fired if he found out."

"Oh, naturally not. My lips are sealed," she said cheerily. "Just one more thing. Um...who's Teaspoon?"

* * *

"The worst part, though, was that I was the only one who could swim, so _I_ ended up dragging both of _them_ out of the lake by their collars, while the remains of that stupid raft sunk straight to the bottom!" Brenna concluded with a laugh. Supper was over, but they were all still sitting around the table listening to her stories about Jimmy's antics while living with the judge. 

"Hey," he defended hotly, "that wasn't my fault! Brad's the one who built the raft!"

"Yeah, but _you're_ the one who decided it was sturdy enough to jump up and down on!" she shot back teasingly.

"Rafts aren't made for jumping, Jimmy," Buck said earnestly, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes the only indication that he was joking.

"That's what _I_ said, but he wouldn't listen!"

"The ever-stubborn James Hickok," Emma said fondly, "painfully afflicted with more pride than sense." All but the brooding subject of the jibe laughed, and before long even Jimmy joined in, albeit half-heartedly.

"Well, I think we've all had enough fun at Jamey's expense for one evening. I should be goin'," Brenna said, standing up with a stretch. "Thank you for a lovely supper, Emma."

"It's late, Brenna," Teaspoon drawled, "you probly shouldn't be settin' out now. Wait till mornin' at least."

"Mr. Spoon's right. You can stay with me if you like," Emma offered.

"This ain't the safest place to be ridin' at night, especially alone," Kid agreed, earning himself a rather uncharitable glare from Lou.

She glanced around at the group of concerned faces with a frown. "Oh no, I couldn't impose on your hospitality any further. Thank you for the offer, but we've got a lot of ground to cover and not much time to do it in."

"It's no imposition, but if you're sure..." Emma said, allowing her voice to trail off in an unspoken question.

"I am. But thank you again. Gentlemen, Emma, it was nice to meet all of you. Hopefully we'll see each other again."

"_Iyuskinyan wancinyankelo, Wapka Wi_," Buck said, delighting her with his use of the Lakota language.

She smiled softly. "_Pilamaya. Wakantanka nici un, Tahca_."

He grinned a little sheepishly. "Well, we've just covered all I know of Lakota."

"Hey, don't feel bad," Cody told him, "you left me in the dust at 'i-u-skin.'"

They all laughed. "Good night, everyone," Brenna said. With that and a wave, she retrieved her weapons, coat and hat and ducked out the door.

Jimmy frowned after her, worrying that she was using her stubborn independence as a shield for something deeper. "I'll just go see her off," he said, jumping up from the table and following her across the yard and into the barn.

"You aren't gonna start in on me about leaving, are you?" she asked, leading Luna out of the stall Ike had put her in earlier.

"Nah, you're too damn stubborn to listen to me anyway," he replied, fetching the new saddle for her. "That's pretty nice. Cody was damn broken-hearted when he found out you'd already bought it."

"Yeah," she said absently, replacing the lead rope with a bridle and carefully avoiding his gaze.

Sensing something he couldn't quite name, Jimmy decided to press the issue. "It was too expensive anyway. Buck was teasin' him, sayin' he wouldn't be able to afford it until he was eighty."

"Uh huh." She knew what he was getting at, but there was no way in hell she was going to tell him where she'd gotten the money. It wasn't his business anyway.

"Llewellyn, what're you really doin' in Sweetwater?"

"What?" she asked, surprised by the sudden question.

"There's somethin' goin' on with you. If you've read that book, you knew I lived here. Do ya really think I believe that this is just coincidence?" He moved closer to her, and the intense look in his dark eyes made her fall back.

"There's nothing, Jamey. I just thought...I just hadn't seen you in so long, and Sweetwater was on the way, so I decided to stop in and say hey." There was something desperate in her voice, something small and frightened that he had never heard before. What the hell was going on with her? Why wouldn't she just tell him?

"I think you should stay here for a few days, Ellie. How long've you been on the road?"

She shrugged, turning back to the horse. "A month. Two. I don't know. Why does it matter? I'm a big girl. It's not like I've never traveled before."

"That ain't the point. Besides...one supper don't make up for three years. I'd like to spend a little more time with you before you run off to wherever it is you're headed so damn fast."

"Don't you have mail to deliver? Chores to do? How much time are you gonna have to spend with me? How much time are you gonna _want_ to spend?" This last was barely audible, and he wasn't even sure if he'd heard her correctly.

"Why wouldn't I want to?" he asked, confused.

She shook her head quickly and grabbed the saddle from him. "Never mind. Look, I gotta get outta here. My life is so..." she trailed off with a sigh. "Jamey, please, you just have to trust me. Sometimes ignorance really _is_ bliss." She tightened the girth and mounted quickly, but he grabbed the reins.

"That's bullshit, Llewellyn. How many times have we gotten each other outta trouble? How many times have you been there for me? Whatever this is, I can help you. Tell me what you're runnin' from, and I'll fight it for you. Why don't you trust me?"

"That isn't it! I've always trusted you, Jamey, but this goes beyond trust. I wouldn't be confiding in you, I would be burdening you. Now let me go!" She jerked the reins from his hand and galloped from the barn as fast as her horse could carry her, the little wolf running hard to keep up.

Jimmy stood there, coughing from the dust and wondering what demons she was running from. The judge was dead. The Lakota had been protecting her for the past two years. What could've happened that was so horrible it sent a woman like Llewellyn Mackenzie running in fear? He shook his head wonderingly and returned to the bunkhouse with a heavy heart.

* * *

Brenna rode away from the Pony Express way station as though Lucifer and all his minions were on her tail. Why did she let James affect her so? She had almost told him, had almost accepted his offer of protection...God, sometimes she was just so stupid! If he knew...she didn't even want to think about that! Jimmy had killed before, yes, but what _she_ had done... it gnawed at her soul, lurked over her shoulder like some monster ready to devour her at any moment. 

Mindful of Diana's efforts to keep up with the speedy Arabian, Brenna slowed to a more reasonable pace. Jimmy wouldn't chase her, she was certain of that much - it just wasn't his style. He would wait her out. She would either leave town and that would be that, or she would break down and talk to him. In her mind, there was no choice: the sooner she was out of Sweetwater, the better it would be for everyone. She should never have accepted his invitation to supper, but she had so longed to talk to him, to tell him everything and to accept the protection she knew he would offer.

That had become impossible once she realized how many people he was close to, how many he held dear. Telling him would put too many people at risk, and that wasn't something she was prepared to do. Jimmy had found himself a new home, had made a new life, and Brenna wasn't about to come in and take that away from him. He seemed happier than she had ever seen him, and for that she was grateful. This was just something she was going to have to handle on her own.

"Well, well, lookee what we have here," a voice said from the darkness, spooking the horse and startling the wolf, who let out a long, low growl. A man stepped out onto the road, and Brenna reined Luna to a sudden stop. He was tall, close to six feet, and impeccably dressed, with a strong, handsome face, but eyes that sent chills down even the strongest spine. He smiled the smile of predator and said, "If it isn't the _lovely_ Miss Mackenzie. How are you, my dear? No need to answer that. I can tell from your expression that you aren't happy to see me. That really is quite a shame, because I know my brother will be _most_ pleased to see you."

Her eyes widened in fear, and she moved a hand to one of the knives on her belt. "Look, Jonas, I don't want any trouble. Just let me pass."

"Let you pass? Now you know I can't do that. Whatever would Jeremiah say? He would be terribly disappointed if I returned alone," he said, his tone deep with false concern.

Her lips twisted wryly. "Now why in the world would your brother have any interest in seeing _me_? We certainly didn't part on very good terms."

His smile was gone as though it had never been, and his voice became soft and dangerous. "Oh, but that's just it, little miss. You killed his son, and I'm afraid that's something he just can't forgive."

He stepped toward her, gun drawn, and she let the knife fly. An instant later the blade was embedded in his palm and he was screaming in pain. Brenna dismounted and stalked over to him, coat swinging, and kicked his gun into the bushes along the road. "You go back and tell your brother that his son _deserved_ to die, and that I would do the same thing again given the chance." She pulled her weapon from his hand, cleaned the blood from the blade, and mounted again. "I'm not afraid of you, Jonas, and I'm most certainly not afraid of Jeremiah."

With that, woman, horse and wolf were gone, leaving a bloody, cursing and _very_ angry Jonas Lapke in their wake. Using his good hand, he retrieved the extra pistol from inside his coat and shot blindly down the road, in too much pain to aim carefully, and prayed that at least one of the bullets would make contact.

* * *

Jimmy was almost asleep, but the banging on the door woke him instantly. Almost as one, the five men and one woman sprang up from their bunks, guns at the ready. Motioning for the others to keep quiet, he crept over to the door and swung it open, only to drop his gun with a clatter. 

Brenna Mackenzie stood there, bleeding from the shoulder and looking pale as a ghost, a wan smile on her face. "Well," she said weakly, "it looks like I'll be stayin' a little while longer after all." She started to enter the room, but her strength was at an end, and he reached out to catch her as she fainted.

End II

* * *

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	3. Sky Blue and Black III

Sky Blue and Black  
Part III

* * *

"Where the touch of the lover ends  
And the soul of the friend begins,  
There's a need to be separate  
And a need to be one,  
And a struggle neither wins.  
Where you gave me the world I was in  
And a place to make a stand,  
I could never see how you doubted me  
When I'd let go of your hand.  
Yeah, and I was much younger then,  
And I must have thought that I would know  
If things were going to end."  
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

When Brenna opened her eyes she had no idea where she was. The room was one she had never seen before. It was small, but cozy rather than cramped, and the bed she was lying in had a cheery blue quilt. White lace curtains adorned the windows, and a rocking chair sat before the fireplace. A young man was sitting in the chair, whittling something with a huge knife. 

"Buck?" she murmured through a mouth that felt like it was coated with wool.

He jumped up from the chair as though _he_ had just been shot. "Brenna! You're awake. Jimmy was in here all night, but he just stepped out for a minute, and he asked me to--"

"Whoa, Buck, slow down. I'm too tired to absorb so much so quickly. What happened?" She moved to sit up, but he was faster.

"No you don't," he said, pressing down gently against her good shoulder. "It looks like you were shot. Nothing bad, just a flesh wound, but you lost a lot of blood. We were all kinda hopin' you could fill us in on the details."

She grimaced but said nothing, instead concentrating on the wound in her arm. It hurt like the blazes, that much was for certain. "Dandelion... comfrey... mugwort," she said softly, gently probing the wound with the other hand. "Where's my stuff? The saddlebags?"

"Over here," he said, gesturing to one corner of the room. "What do you need?"

"In the big bag there are some packets... they're all labeled. Get dandelion, comfrey, mugwort and the willow bark. Make the first three into a paste, and then make the willow into tea."

He found the ingredients she requested and set to work. "So what do these do?" he wanted to know.

"Ahh... the dandelion will keep the wound from going bad, the comfrey will help heal it, the mugwort will numb it some, and the tea will help with the pain. If my brain hadn't been so frizzled last night, I would've been able to tell you about the nettle powder. Anytime someone's bleeding, throw a little nettle powder on it and the flow will stop."

"You learned much with the Lakota," he said softly, carefully applying the herbal mixture to her wound.

"I did. They were generous with their knowledge." She watched him work, the concentration and care in his dark eyes, and where his hands touched her skin she felt the heat of him, a spiritual and physical warmth that transferred itself into her. Suddenly uncomfortable, she grabbed the bandage from him. "I can handle it from here. Thanks."

He stepped back, wondering if he'd hurt her. He was no healer, after all... but still... it seemed that his presence made her ill at ease. He remembered last night, how frightened they'd all been when she'd suddenly shown up again, bleeding and incoherent. Most of all he remembered the look in Jimmy's eyes, something he'd never seen before, something deeper and stronger than fear. "I should go get Jimmy," he said, realizing how much his friend cared for this girl; it was like a punch in the guts, and he didn't really understand why.

Just then the door opened and Jimmy entered as though summoned by Buck's words. "Ellie, you're awake. Why didn't you come get me, Buck?"

"It's all right, Jamey, he was about to. I set him to work." She pulled herself up into a sitting position, and a sudden wave of dizziness hit her. "Ugh... one would think I'd never been shot before. I feel like hell."

"Yeah, well, you sure did a good job of scarin' us all half to death. What happened out there?"

Buck handed her the willow bark tea and she stared down into it as though the pale liquid held all the secrets of the universe. "I... it's a long story, Jimmy. Look, as soon as I'm feeling better I'll be on my way, and none of you'll be the worse for it." She took a sip and grimaced at the bitter taste.

Startled by her use of his name and her refusal to answer, he shared a concerned glance with the half-Kiowa. "I'll leave you two alone," the latter said, returning his knife to its holster and moving to the door.

"No, Buck, wait. Go get the others and come back here. This concerns all of you," she said abruptly, as though coming to a decision that she hadn't enjoyed making and was afraid she was going to change her mind at any moment. He nodded and left quickly.

"Lou and Cody are out on rides," Jimmy said after a moment.

"Good. They're two less people who'll be dragged into this mess." Silence reigned until Buck returned with the other riders, Teaspoon, and Emma.

"How're you feelin'?" the latter asked, approaching the younger woman with a kind smile.

"Better, thank you. I asked Buck to bring all of you here so that I could explain why I showed up on your doorstep last night with a bullet hole in me." She let out a long, deep sigh and looked up at the small group, her eyes suddenly bright with tears. "Have any of you ever heard of a man named Jeremiah Lapke?" They all shook their heads, and she continued after another sip of tea. "He's a gambler down in Texas, one of those guys who's made a livin' outta cheatin' people in poker."

Jimmy smiled ruefully: you always knew when Ellie was upset by the way she talked. When she got angry, every "g" disappeared and there was hint of Scottish brogue taken from her father. "What does he have to do with you? Did you beat him or somethin'? I never knew you played poker."

"I dona... but my brother does." She shook her head, and a tear left a shiny trail down her cheek. "I'mna sayin' that Frankie has a gamblin' problem or anythin', but he does like his cards. And he's so young, only sixteen! Jeremiah took one look at 'im and saw easy prey. You can imagine how angry he was when my rascal baby brother beat 'im at his own game."

"How did _you_ meet this Jeremiah Lapke? I thought you hadn't had any contact with your family since you left home."

She took another sip of tea in an attempt to find calm. "I got a letter from Frankie not long ago. He thought I should know what had happened because I crossed paths with Jeremiah years ago, right after I left home. Before I met you, Jamey." Their eyes locked, and he found himself wondering why she hadn't mentioned this man before. "Anyway, Francis took off with Jeremiah's money, and since the only thing he had to go on was a last name, he came to the only other Mackenzie he knew -- me. This was two months ago, right before I left the Lakota for good."

"What happened?" Kid asked.

She shuddered at the memory. "He sent his son, Aiden, to find me. I was traveling with two boys from the village... they were so young, younger even than Frankie. We were asleep when Aiden found us, and in his childish petulance he killed the Lakota boys. I woke up just as he slit the second one's throat."

A stunned silence fell, and Emma squeezed her hand comfortingly. Brenna looked carefully at each face, noting the reactions: Emma, saddened by the deaths of those so young; Buck, outraged by a crime committed just for the hell of it; Ike, upset by her distress more than the tale she told; Jimmy, angrily anticipating what he thought was going to come next; the Kid, pale-faced and shaken; and Teaspoon, calm on the surface, but with flashing, angry eyes. Surely they would understand... surely they would see...

"He was standing there above Little Hawk, holding this knife red with blood, and he had this... _smile_ on his face, this _leer_. It's like I became a different person when I saw what he had done. I took up my own knife and I killed him the way he had killed Little Hawk and Lone Bear." She bit her lower lip and continued more softly, "Then I went back to his camp and killed his two men. Apparently they had been collecting other debts owed Jeremiah, because they had quite a lot of money with them. I took it and offered it to the Lakota, but they refused, saying it was mine by right." She stopped talking then, almost abruptly, and finished the last of her tea, long since grown cold.

"So that's how you were able to afford the saddle," Jimmy said at last.

"Yes. Now you see why I couldn't tell you." He said nothing. "Anyway, last night after I left here, I ran into Jeremiah's brother, Jonas, on the road. Jeremiah isn't interested in his money anymore: he just wants me dead. I hit Jonas in the hand with my knife and ran, but he had a gun hidden away somewhere, and he shot me as I was riding away. I shouldn't have come back here, but I didn't know where else to go. I'm sorry... I never meant for this to happen."

"It's all right, Brenna, you did what you had to do," Emma said softly.

"No," she replied. "I didn't have to kill Aiden, and I most certainly didn't have to kill his men. By doing that I'm no better than he is... and yet... I don't think I would change anything if I had it to do over. They were killers, mindless thugs hired for their ruthlessness; Little Hawk and Lone Bear were children, good, kind boys. As much as it sickens me to admit it, I don't regret what I did."

"Do you have any idea where your brother is?" Kid asked after a moment.

"No, I don't... my only hope is that Jeremiah doesn't either. The thing that gets me about all of this is that Frank won that game fair and square; this all started because of one man's bruised pride."

"Pride can be a powerful thing, especially in men like this Jeremiah Lapke," Teaspoon said with a frown. "Now the question is what're we gonna do about all a this?"

"What do you mean? Listen, I'm not asking for help. Like I told Jamey, I'll be leaving as soon as I'm feeling better. It'll take Jonas a while to get word back to his brother that I'm here, but I need as much of a head start as I can get."

"You're not goin' anywhere, Ellie," Jimmy said firmly.

"Excuse me? Last time I checked this was a free country, and Kansas was a free territory within said country. I can leave anytime I want!"

"What Jimmy means is that we're willin' to help. We wouldn't feel right sendin' you back out against Lapke and his crew all alone," Kid spoke up.

"And you need to find Francis," Buck said quietly. "It would be safer for both of you if you stuck together."

"He could be anywhere!" she said mournfully.

"Well you're in luck: these boys go _every_where!" Teaspoon said, smiling as only he can.

"I shouldn't be gettin' y'all involved in this."

"We're all ready involved, Brenna," Emma said gently. "Don't you worry about it. We're close friends with the Marshall in town, and he'll see to it that this Jeremiah Lapke is found and taken care of."

"That's a very nice idea, Emma, but I'm afraid Jeremiah has connections that go much higher than one town Marshall. He has friends in the highest places -- that's part of what makes him so dangerous."

Jimmy smiled. "We're pretty dangerous ourselves, Ellie; I guess he wouldn't be countin' on that, would he?"

* * *

Jonas Lapke let out a bitter curse as the Doc poured whiskey across the wound in his hand. "Now don't talk back to me, boy. Your brother'd have my skin if you died from this little scratch." 

"Little scratch! It went all the way through my hand, you old coot!" He pushed the man away roughly and grabbed the bottle from him. "Get away from me! I can handle this myself!"

"I see you found the girl," a voice said from the doorway. The old man jumped up and scrambled from the room, scared half to death by the sudden appearance of his employer.

"Yeah, I found her. The stupid bitch threw a knife through my hand!" Jonas told his brother angrily, taking a long swig of liquor.

"And that's an excuse for returning without her?" Jeremiah asked, entering the room and snatching the bottle of whiskey away from Jonas. He poured some into a cut crystal glass and sat down across from his brother. "Well? She's not here, is she? Hiding somewhere?"

Suddenly humbled by those piercing blue eyes, Jonas lowered his head. "No, Jeremiah, she got away... but I think I may've shot her."

"You _think_?" he said icily, pouring another glass for himself.

"It was dark, and my hand hurt!" he nearly whined.

Jeremiah let out a long-suffering sigh. "I told you not to return unless you had the girl with you, Jonas. Why are you here?"

He held up his hand, and Jeremiah peered through the hole with a mild expression. "She has very good aim, our little Miss Mackenzie. Too bad she didn't take it into her head to aim at your _heart_!" he hissed, standing up from the table and striding to the door. "Go back to Sweetwater, Jonas, and if you come back without Brenna Mackenzie -- _alive_ -- I will see to it that you end up with more than just a hole in your _hand_. Do you understand me!"

Not doubting his brother's word for an instant, Jonas nodded quickly. "I understand, Jeremiah. I'll bring her back, I promise."

He laughed then, his good humor restored. "Good! I'm sure you will. Good night, Jonas -- I'll send the doctor back in to take a closer look at that hand."

* * *

"You seem to be feelin' better," Jimmy said to Brenna upon finding her in the barn the next morning. She was grooming Luna with her good hand, and the little silver mare was making hideous faces of ecstasy. If it was one thing the spoiled Arabian loved even more than food, it was being fussed over. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. The arm that had been shot was bandaged and in a sling, much to her eternal frustration and annoyance. "I should be on my way sometime tomorrow or the next day."

"I thought we discussed this!" Jimmy replied, irritation making his voice sound gruffer than he intended.

"We did. I never said I'd reached the decision _you_ wanted me to reach. Besides, I'd just feel better if I was out there lookin' for Frank myself." She didn't glance away from the shining hide of her horse through this entire little speech, and indeed hadn't looked at him once since he entered the barn.

"Damn it, Ellie, why you gotta be so stubborn all the time? We're just tryin' to look out for you 'cause we care! Why the hell won't you let nobody care about you?" he said, grabbing her good arm and turning her to face him, his frustration reaching the boiling point.

Startled, she dropped the brush, and Diana promptly came over to investigate it. "Of course I _let_ you care about me, Jamey! What choice do I have? They're your feelings... but what you don't seem to understand is carin' doesn't necessarily include puttin' yourself in danger for the one you care about. Because I care so much about you, I have to go. Because I care so much about my little brother, I have to go. Why can't you just understand that!" she demanded, her own temper flaring to match his. "Why can't you just have _faith_ in me, James!"

"It ain't that I don't got faith in you, Ellie!" He turned away angrily, trying to regain control. "I got plenty of faith in you. I know you can take care of yourself," he said, calmer now, "but the idea of you gettin' hurt makes me feel all... sick inside. When you went away, all I did was worry that you were out there gettin' in trouble, and me so far away that I couldn't do nothin'."

She knelt down to retrieve the brush and the little wolf licked her face joyfully. Brenna sighed, scratched Diana behind her ears and moved up behind Jimmy, resting her chin on his shoulder, her arm around his waist. "I'm sorry, James... I didn't know you felt that way." She turned him around to face her and smiled softly. "But you gotta understand that that's how I feel about you, too. If I let you and your friends go against Jeremiah, I'll be puttin' you in a situation that could very easily get you killed. I don't want that responsibility."

"So what are you gonna do, Ellie? Keep runnin' from him your whole life? That's no answer and you know it!" He pulled her close and tucked her head beneath his chin. "You just gotta let me be there for you, Ellie, because you _need_ me."

It was the exact _wrong_ thing to say. She pulled away abruptly. "No, James, I don't need you. I don't need anyone. If I have to be on the run for the rest of my life, then so be it, but men like Jeremiah Lapke bore easily. Eventually he'll forget Frank, and he'll forget me, and we'll both be fine."

"You killed his _son_, El! He ain't gonna forget that." He reached for her again, desperate to make her see, but she dodged his grasp.

"What happened to you, Jamey? You used to understand me, you used to understand the importance of bein' able to stand on your own!"

"There's standin' on your own and there's bein' stupid. This is just stupid, Llewellyn! You ain't bein' generous, you're bein' selfish! Askin' for help ain't the same thing as bein' weak. Bein' here, workin' for the Pony Express, I've learned that it's all right to let someone help you. Jeremiah Lapke is a killer, but if he gets his hands on you, he'll probly do somethin' a helluva lot worse!"

"I'm not afraid of Jeremiah!" she cried, her eyes wild and dark. Upset by the tension in the air, Diana pressed herself up against Brenna's legs and whimpered pitifully.

"You're lyin' to yourself if you believe that! And if you ain't afraid for yourself, then be afraid for Frank. He's just a kid, Ellie, and if you don't find him he'll end up dead. Do you really wanna take the chance of tryin' to find him yourself?"

"That's enough! The subject is _closed_, James." She stormed out of the barn, Diana following worriedly behind.

"Wow," Kid said, emerging from a stall near the back.

"Go away, Kid," Jimmy said threateningly.

"Relax, Jimmy; you all right?" He approached warily, peeking up at his friend from beneath the brim of his hat.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, kicking at a rock and startling the normally docile Luna. He let out a long sigh and stroked her silver cheek to calm her. "She's just so damn stubborn. We're only tryin' to help her."

"I know that, you know that, but she just thinks you're holdin' her back. She's a tough girl, Jimmy, and she ain't gonna accept help easily. You can't just force her to do what you want; she's gonna do the exact opposite if you try."

"I just wish I didn't care so damn much," he said resentfully.

Kid grinned. "Yeah," he said, thinking of Lou, "I know exactly what you mean."

* * *

Angry that she had left Luna behind, Brenna ran as far as she could before her strength finally failed her. She collapsed beneath a weeping willow tree growing next to a small creek. Taking up a handful of pebbles from the bank, she began tossing them into the water. "Damn bull-headed fool!" she muttered furiously. Who did he think he was, ordering her around like she was his slave? 

Suddenly she heard something behind her, a soft noise like a boot sliding against loose stones. She pulled one of the knives from her belt and continued tossing rocks. She felt the presence coming closer, and she jumped up and tackled him, holding the knife to his throat. "Buck!" she gasped. "Why didn't you say something? I could've killed you!"

He grabbed her wrist and gently lowered the blade away from his neck. "I, uh, didn't want to bother you. When I saw you here, I thought somethin' might be wrong, so I came over... but you were pretty mad, so I figured I should just let you be for a little bit."

"You were _spying_ on me?" she hissed. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"Hey, calm down... I was about to leave when you tried to kill me."

She shook her head wryly and sat up, returning the weapon to its place at her side. "Sorry about that, but how was I to know you weren't Jonas Lapke?"

He flashed her an intriguing little half-smile and brushed his clothes off as he sat up next to her. "It's good to be prepared," he agreed. "I'm just glad I'm _not_ Jonas."

"Yeah, me too," she replied, tucking a lock of hair that had fallen loose back behind her ear. "Hurt the hell outta my arm if it makes you feel any better," she offered with a grin.

"Maybe a little." There was a pause as he tried to decide how to broach the subject. "So... what's on your mind?" he asked at last, idly tossing pebbles into the rushing stream as she had been doing moments ago.

With a frown she undid her hair and began to rebraid it. "It's that stupid James Butler Hickok," she said after a moment. "He thinks that his word is law. He wants me to stay because he thinks I can't take care of myself, and he's under the delusion that if just _tells_ me to do somethin', I'll not only do it, but I'll _thank_ him for taking the time out of his busy schedule to notice me. He's such a... such a..."

"'Bull-headed fool?'" he quoted with a grin.

"Exactly!" she cried, tying off the end of the braid with a leather thong. Diana was busy chasing each small stone as it flew into the creek, but at her mistress' outburst, she returned and showered them with water as she shook out her fur. "Diana! No! Oh, bad wolf!" she exclaimed, jumping away from the spray.

Buck laughed and leaned back out of range. "Now _that_ makes me feel better!"

"Get him, Diana," she said with a wicked grin. The little wolf let out a delighted yowl and tackled him to the ground, licking his face ecstatically. Brenna giggled as Buck tried to fend off the soaked animal. "All right, all right, back, mni sung'manitu tanka," she said at last, taking pity on him. With a wolfy grin, she gave Buck one last lick across the cheek before taking off after a butterfly.

Buck was still sprawled out on his back when Brenna sat down next to him, laughing. "That was refreshing. What did you call her?" he said at last, sitting up and retrieving his hat.

"'Water wolf;' it's a variation on what the Lakota called her."

"Where'd you find her anyway?" he asked, watching the wolf frolic in the creek.

"Not long after I left home I found her in a cave. Her mother and littermates were dead, but she was still alive, starving and whimpering louder than anything I'd ever heard. She was the runt of the litter, but I took care of her, fed her and all that, and now she's my baby."

"I've never seen a wolf with blue eyes."

"Yeah, I know. An old Cherokee shaman told me she'd been blessed by Father Sky - that's why she survived despite her small size, and why she has eyes like the sky at noon. So I named her Diana, after the goddess of the moon and nature in Roman mythology."

"What are you running from, Brenna?" he asked after a long, quiet moment. "I don't just mean Jeremiah Lapke. Why'd you leave home? What's got you so spooked that you can't stay in one place more than a few months?"

His question startled her, and she stood quickly, shrugging, and then wincing in pain. "It's kind of a boring story, nothing real interesting. What about you, Buck? What brings you to the Pony Express? I can tell you and Ike are really close; what brought you together?"

So that's the way it was going to be. All right, Buck could play that game. "I'm a half-breed," he said bluntly. "My mother was raped by a white man, and I was raised by her Kiowa family. When I got older, I left the tribe to learn about my white heritage, and I met Ike. We were both outcasts, him because he can't talk, me because I'm a half-breed. Here with the Pony Express, though, that don't matter so much. We're all outcasts."

She knelt down in front of him, touched by the pain hidden within his blunt, forceful words. "I'm a half-breed, too," she said quietly. At his skeptical look, she said, "No, really! My father is Scottish and my mother is Spanish. When my Spanish grandfather found out my mother married my father, he disowned her. He was furious, and said he'd never have anything to do with her or her half-breed whelps." She laughed. "Those were his exact words! Well, in Spanish, but the sentiment was the same."

"Wow, I can't believe he would treat his own daughter like that. How did your parents meet?"

She smiled and moved to sit beside him. "It's really a romantic story. My father was the second son of a Scottish nobleman. The Mackenzie family is an extremely old, distinguished one in Scotland, but when my father was a boy the English took everything my grandfather had. Of course, as second son my father would've been slated to join the priesthood or something anyway, but once the family lost everything, he decided to seek his fortune on the Continent."

"This sounds like something from one of those books Lou hides under her mattress," Buck interrupted with a teasing grin.

Brenna laughed. "I could write it down one day and make tons of money. But hush, if you want to hear. Anyway, he found himself in Spain, working for an _extremely_ wealthy merchant - my other grandfather, as it turned out.

"Eventually, of course, he saw my mother, and fell instantly in love with her. She's very beautiful, my mother. She thought my father was beneath her, which is silly, since her father was a merchant and his father was a nobleman, but he was, after all, _Scottish_, and the Spanish have a very low opinion of the Scots. He won her over, though, but they knew her father would never approve, so they ran off to America and eloped!"

He whistled. "That's quite a tale."

"Mmmm," she agreed softly, her eyes far away. "Yes, which is why...I couldn't understand my father's attitude much of the time. He was constantly telling us tales of the English, and how they held the Scots under their heels and they took everything my grandfather had and on and on and on, and yet..."

"And yet...?" Buck prompted, sensing he was getting to the meat of the issue.

"And yet my father kept slaves," she said at last, turning her gaze to his. "I didn't understand! I still don't! How could he justify it? How could he be such a hypocrite? Isn't that what he said the English did to the Scots? So why is it all right for him to do it? We fought constantly, huge wars, really, and finally I did something...unforgivable in his mind." He waited her out, letting her collect her thoughts, and at last she continued. "We had a slave, a beautiful young woman whom I had befriended, and she fell in love with one of our field hands. Fa knew that could be trouble, so he sold the field hand to someone several counties over. She was pregnant with his child, Buck, and she would probably never see him again! I was...horrified."

"What did you do?" he asked.

"At first I helped them see each other, arranged meetings between them. But I knew that was only temporary, and just too dangerous. They could get caught at any time. Finally, I helped them escape. Her baby had been born at that time, and the penalty for stealing three slaves could be as severe as death - that's what they would've considered it, stealing," she said bitterly, "but I didn't care. They were a family, and I had to help them.

"They got caught. I don't know what happened. One of the legs of the escape route just didn't work properly and they got caught. The owner tortured - that's really the only word for it - the man until he admitted I was the one who had helped them escape. Because I was the young daughter of a prominent landowner, my father was the one punished with a severe fine. He sold the woman and her baby out of state. I ran away the next day."

"So that's why you keep running," he said quietly, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair off her forehead, a tender, intimate gesture that surprised her and brought a tinge of color to her cheeks.

"Yeah, essentially," she managed, collecting herself. "I don't know what he'd do if he found me. All I know is I can't go home yet. I guess it's cowardly to run, but for now...I don't feel like I have a choice. My father was so incredibly angry with me. I'd not only done something very illegal, but I'd also undermined his pride by making it look like he couldn't control his own daughter. I'd made him look like a fool before the men of three counties."

He nodded quietly, turning the subject of Brenna Mackenzie and James Hickok over and over in his brain. "He only did it because he cares. He's not like your father," he said after a moment.

"What?" she asked, completely confused.

"Jimmy. He just doesn't want you to get hurt, and he doesn't know how to talk to you about it."

"So he orders me around," she agreed with a frown. "Yeah, I know... it just riles me. He knows how I am, yet he still treats me like I'm intimidated by him or something." She rolled her eyes and tossed a stick for Diana. "I'm not staying. Why can't he just understand that?"

"Because he's changed since you last knew him. A year ago, he'd be helpin' you pack, but now he realizes how important it is to have people you can count on. We've all changed that way, I guess."

"It's not that I don't understand where he's comin' from, it's just that I don't want to put y'all in danger that way. It isn't fair of me to ask complete strangers to do something like this."

"You're not askin', Brenna; we're volunteering. You need help and we're offerin' it."

"But that's just it! I _don't_ need help."

He smiled and ran a hand through his hair. "You really believe that?"

She let out a long sigh and stared down at her hands as she fiddled with a willow vine. "No, I guess not... so you think I should stay?"

"It's an idea," he said with an idle shrug.

"Why do I feel like I'm bein' manipulated?" she asked good-naturedly.

He grinned. "Is it workin'?"

She shook her head wonderingly. "Yeah," she said at last, "I guess it is."

End III

* * *

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	4. Sky Blue and Black IV

Sky Blue and Black  
Part IV

* * *

"And the heavens were rolling  
Like a wheel on a track,  
And our sky was unfolding,  
And it'll never fold back;  
Sky blue and black."  
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

"Rider comin'! It's Cody!" Kid cried, grabbing Katy and mounting, ready to accept the hand-off from his friend. 

"Kid, wait!" Brenna called, emerging from the bunkhouse and hurrying over to him. "Here!" she said, holding up something small and silver.

"What is it?" he asked with a frown, staring down at the little ring. It was too small to fit on any but a child's finger, and he wondered why in the world she would be giving it to him.

"It's from my necklace," she told him, indicating the silver chain she wore around her neck. On it hung five - four, now - rings, each symbolizing either strength, wisdom, friendship, spirit or love - this ring was the latter. "If you find Francis, give him this and tell him that Brenna sends her love. He'll know you're not with Jeremiah, and it's heaps safer than writin' a letter!"

He grinned down at her and pocketed the jewelry. "Good thinkin'!"

"I try!" she called, stepping back up onto the porch as Cody approached.

"You really think he'll find him?" Jimmy asked, watching Kid as he road away with the mail pouch.

She shrugged. "I don't know, but I've gotta hope. The letter I got from Frankie came from that direction. He's probably moved on, of course... but maybe Kid'll get lucky. Come on; it's time for lunch."

"Emma was gonna invite the Marshall over so you could tell him about Jeremiah. Don't worry, Ellie; Sam's real good at what he does," he reassured her, holding the door open.

"Sam?" Brenna asked with a frown, nodding in thanks as she entered ahead of him.

"Yep," a voice answered, "Sam Cain, Territorial Marshall."

"Sam!" she cried in surprised recognition, whipping off her hat so that her long braid tumbled down her back.

"Brenna? Brenna Mackenzie?" At her nod, he let out a whoop of joy and grabbed her up in a huge hug. "Look at you all grown up! What the hell're you doin' in Sweetwater?" he asked, setting her back down on the floor.

"I guess they've met before," Jimmy muttered to Buck and Ike, who nodded in mutual astonishment at this display of enthusiastic affection from Sam.

"Marshall!" she repeated, stunned. "I can't believe it! Who would've ever thought that _you_ would switch sides!"

"Yeah, well, I got sick of the hired gun's life. It ain't easy, always lookin' over your shoulder, havin' to scrape by when no one needs anyone dead." He frowned down at her, realizing she hadn't yet answered his question. "Bren, you obviously didn't know I was here... so what else would bring you to Sweetwater? And what happened to your arm?"

She looked away quickly and busied herself with hanging up her coat and hat. "It's Jeremiah."

"Jeremiah? What about him? Did he hurt you!" he demanded angrily.

"You know him?" Jimmy asked, more confused than ever. First Sam knows Ellie -- obviously rather well from the looks of things -- and then he knows Jeremiah Lapke? What the hell was going on?

"Know him? I used to work for him."

"You _worked_ for a man like Jeremiah Lapke?" Emma gasped. She knew about Sam's rather sketchy past, but she had never imagined he would work for someone like that.

"Yeah, I did. I ain't proud of it, but I needed the money. But you left before I did, Brenna. What's he want with you?"

"What _doesn't_ he want?" she asked ruefully, and Sam nodded in understanding. "But this probably has something to do with the fact that I killed his son."

"Now what did you go and do a fool thing like that for! Aiden was scum, but his father thought he was God's gift to mankind. You know that!"

"Yeah, well, he killed two of my friends in cold blood. See, Frank beat Jeremiah at cards--"

"And it goes from bad to worse," he muttered, turning away with a shake of his head.

"And so he sent Aiden out to find _me_ -- the better to get to Frank, I suppose -- and Aiden took it upon himself to kill two boys from the Lakota village where I was living. I killed Aiden and his men, and I took the money they were carrying. Last night I met Jonas on the road between here and town. I stabbed him in the hand, but he shot me as I was riding away. Don't look at me like that, Sam!"

He sighed. "So of all the places in the country you choose Sweetwater?"

"Well... I didn't know _you_ were here... but you aren't the only old friend I have in this town. Jimmy and I knew one another after I left Jeremiah. I lived with the judge, too."

"I see. Well, it looks like that Mackenzie luck is workin' again, because you came to the right place," he said after a moment, deciding that yelling at her for killing Aiden Lapke and stealing Jeremiah's money was not the best choice. Stabbing Jonas, in his opinion, was completely necessary and long overdue.

"Now wait... I'm a little unclear on all of this... you, Sam, worked for Jeremiah Lapke. What about you, Brenna?" Emma asked.

"I worked for him too. I... um... I was a dealer in his saloon. _One_ of his saloons, that is. I didn't stay long - I hated every minute of it - but..." she trailed off with a shrug. "Basically, Sam kept me out of trouble. I was only fifteen, and my youth made people think I was easy prey, but he made sure no one messed with me, like my brothers back home used to do," she said with a fond grin.

"Yeah, but she didn't need me much. She's pretty damn lethal with those knives she's got."

"Only when I have to be," she said softly, thinking of both Aiden and Jonas. She shook her head as if to clear away of fog of old memories and said, "Good grief, with all this reunioning, Emma's delicious lunch is gonna get cold. I'm about half-starved!"

Sensing Brenna's need to change the subject, Emma graciously stepped in. "Go on and get washed up, all of you. Lunch'll be served when you get back."

With a collective groan, they all - including Sam - filed out the door to do as Emma asked.

* * *

Sometimes Kid really hated his job. It was dirty, exhausting, dangerous work, and as exciting as it seemed to an outsider, it could be Hell. He had been riding since yesterday morning, and at that moment he wanted nothing more than a bath, a meal and a good, long snooze in a comfortable bed. But first he had to ask around - discreetly, of course - about Francis Mackenzie. 

The saloon was too public. Anyone might be in there, anyone might overhear and decide that he was a good target... or worse (according to his noble way of thinking), follow him back to Sweetwater and get a hold of Brenna. With a frown, he entered the general store and made a big production of browsing over the merchandise.

"Somethin' I can help you with, son?" the man behind the counter asked with a kind smile.

"No, I'm just lookin'," Kid replied.

"For anythin' in particular?"

"Well..." He glanced around carefully to make sure they were alone before approaching. "I'm actually lookin' for a friend of mine. His name's Francis Mackenzie... he might go by Frank. Know him?"

The man frowned deeply and scratched his chin. "I don't know. What's he look like?"

"He's about my height, curly red hair, blue eyes." Something about the man's attitude suggested that he knew perfectly well who Kid was talking about.

He shook his head distractedly and took a step back from the counter, smile and laid-back demeanor gone completely. "I don't know any Mackenzie, boy, but I do know that most people in this town don't like strangers stickin' their noses in where they don't belong. I suggest you ride on and forget about lookin' for anybody around here."

Kid grinned and tossed the man Brenna's ring. "Next time you see Frank, give him that and tell him that Brenna sends her love. My name's Kid; I'll be stayin' at the hotel till mornin'." He tipped his hat and left the store, headed for the hotel. He was half way across the dusty, desolate street when a voice called his name.

"Hey, Kid? Wait a minute!"

He turned to see a young man hurrying towards him. He seemed to match Brenna's description, and Kid's grin stretched from ear to ear. "Can I help you?" he asked politely.

"Brenna Mackenzie gave you this?" the boy asked, holding up the silver ring.

"Yep, just yesterday. Why? You know her?"

He frowned and glanced over his shoulder the way the hunted often do. "You know I do. _You_ came looking for _me_, remember?"

Kid crossed his arms across his chest casually. "I came lookin' for Frank Mackenzie. You sayin' you're him?"

He moved a step closer and lowered his voice. "Yeah, I'm Frank. Brenna's my sister... but you know that. Why'd she give you one of her rings?"

"So that you'd know _she_ sent me rather than Jeremiah Lapke."

The name surprised him into dropping the small piece of jewelry. He knelt to retrieve it from the dust, and Kid knelt with him. "She told you about Jeremiah? Look, what do you want with me?" he asked frantically.

"She wanted me to bring you to her if I found you. It would be safer if you stuck together until this thing blows over. She's stayin' with me and my friends at the Pony Express station in Sweetwater."

"_Blows over_?" he quoted incredulously. "She obviously didn't tell you _much_ about Jeremiah." He stood and shook his head slowly, clearly struggling with something. At last he sighed and held out his hand. "All right," he said, "when do we leave?"

Kid straightened and peered longingly at the hotel a moment before turning back and shaking the hand Frank offered. "Now, I guess. The sooner the better, right?" Yep... he _really_ hated his job.

* * *

"What the hell is he doin'?" Brenna asked Jimmy the next morning - two days after Kid's departure, the morning after his meeting up with Frank. Jimmy, Buck and Cody were all standing around the corral as the latter rode a huge, bucking stallion. 

"Ain't you never seen a man break a horse before?" James asked almost scornfully.

"That's no way to treat a horse!" she cried as Cody went flying through the air. "Serves him right," she said with an indignant little sniff.

"What, you think you can do better?" Buck challenged with a grin.

"I _know_ I can do better. It's all about respect, gentlemen. A horse is not a dumb beast, and it shouldn't be treated like one." She climbed over the fence and approached the wary animal with one palm outstretched.

"Watch out, Brenna, he's crazy!" Cody cautioned, ready to pull her out of the way at any moment.

"It's all right, Billy. Go on and watch with the others." The horse watched her move closer with wide, frightened eyes, and he let out a long, angry snort. "Hey, handsome," she said soothingly; he responded with white, rolling eyes and a few skittish steps away. She let out a little whistle and Diana moved in on his other side, preventing him from moving farther away from her.

"What's she doin' in there with that horse?" Teaspoon demanded, joining the boys at the fence.

"Shh... she says she can break him," Buck said, keeping his voice low so as not to startle the large animal standing so close to Brenna.

"It's all right, big boy. What's your name, hmm?" she asked the horse, ignoring Teaspoon as he called her name.

"Brenna! Brenna, that horse is wild. Get outta there 'fore he takes your head off!"

Still whispering soothing nothings, she moved close enough to rest a hand on his smooth cheek. He started, but after a moment settled down and let her stroke him. "See?" she murmured. "The world didn't end, now did it?"

"Well wouldja look at that?" Cody said wonderingly. "That horse ain't let nobody near him without a fight."

"I'm Brenna," she was telling him, "and this is my friend Diana. We mean you no harm... perhaps you could help us?" She stared into his large brown eyes a moment before her lips curled upward in a smile. Moving around to his side, she mounted quickly, and he didn't protest. "Thank you," she told him, patting his neck affectionately.

Teaspoon let out a long, low whistle. "I ain't never seen the like!"

"That's amazing," Buck murmured.

"No, not amazing... I told you, it's all about respect. Anyone can do it if they would just take the time," she said, dismounting and giving the horse a good scratch along the flank. "The first few times you ride him, make sure to ask permission... after that you should be fine," she told them.

"You're tellin' me I gotta _ask_ before I can ride my own damn horse?" Cody demanded.

She shrugged. "Yep... unless you wanna get thrown. I figure it would just be easier to ask."

"Hey, rider comin'!" Jimmy called suddenly. "It's Kid... and he's got somebody with him!"

Brenna's stomach did flip-flops as she climbed the fence and peered into the rising sun to see who the other rider was. "It looks like Frankie!"

"Kid ain't due back till tomorrow!" Teaspoon said irritably, wondering how any mail got delivered with _these_ boys working for the Pony Express.

She vaulted over the fence and ran into the yard, still trying to make out the figure riding behind Kid. "It _is_ him!" she called over her shoulder. "I can't believe it!"

Before the horses were even in the yard proper, Frank was dismounted and running over to his sister to sweep her up in a crushing hug. "Brenna!" he cried. "God _damn_ it's good to see you!"

"Francis David Mackenzie!" she scolded laughingly. "What would Mother say if she heard such language?"

"Mother ain't here last time I checked, and I haven't seen you for almost four years! I have a right to use a little bad language."

She laughed and ran an affectionate hand through his riotous red curls. "Look at you, Frankie! You're taller than I am! Seeing you makes me wonder what _Mickey_ looks like after all this time," she said in reference to their elder brother.

"Old I bet. You know Mick, always gotta be the good one. I heard that he married Allison McKinney."

"No!" she gasped. "I thought Mother said he would marry Allison McKinney over her dead body! She always hated the McKinneys!"

He shrugged. "I guess she changed her mind. You know how persuasive Fa can be... but I don't think he's real happy about it, either. Apparently Mick's runnin' Apple Grove instead of White Oak. That means _I_ get White Oak. Horrors!"

Kid cleared his throat politely, drawing their attention. "Oh! Kid, thank you so much. I can't believe you actually found him!" she cried, embracing him with a laugh.

He blushed, thankful Lou wasn't there to see them, and said, "I almost didn't... _he_ more found _me_, really. Here's your ring back. It worked just like you said."

"Thanks!" she said, adding it back to the necklace. Ike had gone out on a ride the day before, so she was still missing Wisdom. _Well, it certainly wouldn't be the first time someone could accuse me of that,_ she thought wryly. She linked arms with her brother and started toward the barn, Kid following with Katy. "How much did Kid tell you?" she asked, gesturing for him to grab his horse.

"Not much... just that you were here in Sweetwater and that you thought it would be best for us to stick together."

"Mmmm..." she murmured thoughtfully. "You got my letter?"

"About Aiden? Yeah. That's some stuff, Brenna... we're in a heap of trouble now."

"I know." She let out a little sigh. "There's more." She told him about Jonas, and his face went pale beneath the smattering of freckles that decorated the bridge of his nose and the high, Spanish cheekbones all three Mackenzie children had inherited from their mother. "I had no intention of staying here once they found you, Frankie, but I didn't think they would find you so _quickly_. What do you think we should do?"

He chewed his lower lip the way he'd been doing since the age of five and said, "Kid told me you weren't too thrilled with stayin' here and puttin' them in danger like that, but, Bren... we _need_ them, whether you like it or not. There's no way we can keep runnin' from Jeremiah forever, and the two of us alone can't take on his gang. I think we should stay and let them do what they can to help us."

She fiddled with the end of her braid nervously. "You're right, of course you're right; it's just hard to admit that I can't handle this on my own."

He grinned knowingly. "You've changed a lot, big sister, but not in the ways that make you who you are. Will you ever just shut your mouth and accept someone's help?"

"I doubt it," she replied. "Why should a long tradition of being dragged kicking and screaming end now?"

He chuckled, but it faded as he toed the dirt with his boot. "Fa was real upset after you left."

She snorted and unbuckled the horse's saddle girth. "I'm sure he was. He could've prevented it easily enough. All he had to do was free our slaves, Frank! If he'd just done that, I would've stayed. I would've been _happy_ to stay."

Frank removed the saddle and hung it where she indicated before continuing. "He probably ain't happy about havin' to leave White Oak to me. He wanted you and Jimmy to run it."

She sighed, remembering James McGregor, the plantation's caretaker and the man her father had wanted her to marry. "I'm sure you'll do a fine job, Frankie," she said at last, trying to avoid the subject of James altogether. "White Oak isn't my home anymore. I'd go crazy there, in that lifestyle... I couldn't be a good, sweet Southern belle again."

"I know that, Bren... no one's askin' you to go back. I'm just sayin'. Besides, there's war comin'... you don't want to be anywhere near North Carolina when that happens!"

"What will happen if the South loses, Frank?" she asked, a frown marring her pretty features.

"I don't know... isn't that what _you_ want to happen anyway?"

The frown turned into a scowl and she rubbed the horse with a soft cloth. "No! You know how I feel about slavery, but each state should be able to decide for itself whether or not to be free. Of course I'd _like_ it if they all suddenly came to their senses and realized how horrible slavery is, but until that happens -- and I believe it _will_, one day -- then the federal government should leave well enough alone.

"Regardless of which side of the issue I'm on," she continued after a small, thoughtful pause, "I don't want war, a war that family and friends will be dragged into. I don't want the South to suffer through what those who _lose_ wars have to endure." She shook her head with a long, sad sigh. "There's no easy solution, Francis, and with neither side giving ground, it looks as though war is inevitable."

"If it happens, I'm goin' back to fight," he announced proudly.

"What! Francis, no! Stay out of it! What if something happened to you? What would Mother do? What would _I_ do? Who would run White Oak after Fa... passes on?"

He shrugged in that impetuous way of those who have no concept of what death means. "Jimmy could run it, or you could sell it."

Her eyes widened in horror, and she wondered suddenly if this boy was truly Michael Mackenzie's son. "_Sell_ White Oak? Francis, did Mammy drop you on your _head_ as a baby? That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life! If we even _thought_ about selling that plantation, Fa's wraith would haunt us from one end of eternity to another. You know that as well as I do. Besides, White Oak isn't the issue here... _you_ are. I don't want my little brother out there risking life and limb in some stupid, pointless war that could be avoided if the men in power in this country weren't such blustering fools."

"You really mean that?" he asked, astounded. "You really don't want me fighting?"

"No, of course not! Mickey either, for that matter. What would I do if something happened to one of you? I'd go 'round the bend for good and sure!"

His bright green eyes twinkled merrily as he grinned. "Fine, Bren, calm down. If war comes I'll stay as far away from it as possible, all right?"

"Good. Stay where I can protect you!" They laughed companionably, but something deep within Brenna wondered how much she really _could_ protect her brother - especially from Jeremiah Lapke.

End IV

* * *

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	5. Sky Blue and Black V

Sky Blue and Black  
Part V

* * *

"And I'd have fought the world for you  
If I thought that you wanted me to,  
Or put aside what was true or untrue  
If I'd known that's what you needed,  
What you needed me to do.  
But the moment has passed by me now,  
To have put away my pride  
And just come through for you somehow."  
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

The river. It called her name in soft, whispered tones, murmured to her beneath the full, silver moon. It was a Siren's song Brenna had never been able to resist. With no other thought than those cool, dark waters enclosing her in a sweet embrace, she snuck from Emma's house and slipped away with Luna and Diana. She was wearing only her nightdress, her long hair braided loosely for bed, but she didn't care. Her brain was too cluttered, too insane for sleep, and she knew she needed the river to calm her. 

At the site of the watersilvered by moonbeams, Brenna dismounted and pulled her hair from its braid. With a quick, furtive glance around, she pulled her night dress up to her knees and waded into the deliciously cool stream.

"Funny," a puzzled voicesaid from the water, "you don't look like a fish."

Brenna gave a shriek at the sight of the man as he stood up from the water. Stepping back quickly, she lost her balance on the slippery stones, and would have fallen in if he hadn't reached out to grab her around the waist. "Hey, it's all right... I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Shit! Let go! You didn't frighten me," she said haughtily, trying to pull from his grasp. "I just wasn't expecting anyone… what are you doing here? It's the middle of the night!" Shaking back a curtain of golden auburn hair, she glared up at him... and, once again, would have fallen into the water if not for his steadying arms. "Buck? What the hell... I mean," she corrected quickly, "what are you doing swimming at almost midnight?"

He grinned, lifted her out of the water, and began walking to the bank. "I wasn't swimming; I was fishing. I really didn't mean to scare you."

"Put me down this instant! And I said you _didn't_ scare me, I just - why do I always end upexplaining myself to you!"

The water swirled around his shins as he stopped to consider her words. "You must have a confidence problem." This decided, he continued, and dropped her rather unceremoniously beneath the same willow they had sat under a few days before.

"_Ow_! Damn it! I do _not_ have a confidence problem!" Flustered, she began to ring out the hem of her nightdress that she had let fall into the river in her surprise. "What are you doing here, anyway?" she repeated after a moment.

"Fishing. I thought I told you that."

She glanced up in time to see that devilish, devastating little half-smile of his, and she couldn't help but smile back. "Fishing. Of course."

He shrugged. "It's the truth. Why don't you just go swimming during the day?"

She frowned. "That wouldn't be proper," she replied, uncharacteristically prim.

"Proper?" he questioned, grin broadening. "This from the girl who goes swimming all alone in her nightgown... and cusses like a sailor."

She had the decency to blush at this last. "I suppose I should be more like my mother always wanted me to be: a delicate flower, shy and innocently lovely." She letout a long, deep sigh. "There's nothing shy, delicate, innocent or lovely about me." She looked up at him with a blinding grin and said, "I don't mind, though. Who wants to be a Southern belle and marry some silly fop who's so spineless he can't even say 'boo' anyway!"

He laughed and settled down beside her, one knee drawn up with an arm resting on it casually. "Shy? I'd say no. Innocent? In some things, surely. Delicate? In your own way. Lovely?" He paused here and glanced over at her, watched her wavy hair flutter in the cool breeze, admired the way the stubborn set of her jaw contrasted with the softness in her eyes as she stared down at the river. His silence caused her to glance over at him quickly, and his mind was made up. "Definitely lovely, Brenna... some might even say 'beautiful.'"

She opened her mouth to reply, but then just sat there dumbly, jaw hanging open in surprise. Finally she glanced away, the pink of her cheeks visible even in the pale light. "Buck, I-"

"I guess this is why they call you _River Moon_," he interrupted in an attempt to ease her discomfort - and because he didn't want to hear her tell him how inappropriate it was for him to notice her in that way.

"Hmm?" she asked, thrown by the sudden change of subject. "Oh, that... yes, I guess it is. I love the way water looks in the moonlight... like liquid silver. It's so lovely." She frowned at the word as soon as it was out of her mouth, but it was too late.

"There seem to be a lot of lovely things out and about tonight," he said only half-teasingly. Then, astounded, "Your wolf is chasing frogs."

"What!" His shiftswere so rapid and complete that she, in her rather discombobulated state, was having a bit of trouble keeping up. She searched the bank and soon caught sight of Diana, who was indeed staring at the ground rather intently. A small toad leapt in the air, and she took off after it,watching in dismay as it hit the surface of the water with a plop and a splash. After a moment of indecision, she dove in after it, and Brenna let out a long-suffering sigh. "She's completely crazy, I know she is. She thinks she's still a puppy."

He laughed as the little wolf erupted from the water and went careening along the sandy bank after the poor, desperate amphibian. "She sparkles," he said at last. "Her soul keeps those around her happy and bright, just as she is. It's good that you found her."

"She keeps me sane. Everyone shouldhave a crazy wolf to chase frogs with in the middle of the night."

A long silence fell between the two, and Buck could feel her sadness. He thought about her brother, Francis. Their coloring was different: he was pale and red-haired, with freckles, but their faces were the same. They both had straight noses, stubborn chins and high cheekbones. And, of course, they had the same green eyes, though Brenna's were a shade darker, smokier, sadder. "Your brother looks well," he said at last.

"Yes, though thin. I'm glad he's here."

"He will come for you, won't he?"

She didn't have to ask who Buck meant. "Of course. It's why I didn'twant to stay. I shouldn't have. Frank and I should get out of here as soon as possible."

"We'd never let you go now. It's too dangerous."

She laughed and stood, stretching luxuriously in the moonlight, though cringing slightly from a twinge of pain in her injured shoulder. "Now you sound like Jamey. What's to stop me from taking my little brother, frog-chasing wolf and wild horse in the middle of the night and just leaving?"

He gave her that half-grin she found so irresistible and said, "Indian magic. Strong magic. Very scary." He screwed his face up in a mockery of a frightening glare.

Brenna laughed again. "You're as crazy as the wolf, Buck." Then she grew serious and her eyes were once again drawn to the river. "But more than danger keeps me here. I feel that there are things yet undone, but still..."

"But what, Brenna?" he prompted gently,coming to stand behind her.

She shook her head quickly. "It's nothing, just...I would hate for my presence to cause any problems." She turned to findhim standing closer than she had thought, but for once she didn't take a step back. "There are many here I've come to care about, and I don't want anyone hurt."

"We can take care of ourselves, _Wapka Wi_." His dark eyes were intense, but she didn't look away.

"I know that you can, Buck," she murmured. "But some hurts are harder to heal than others. What if Jamey...?"

"He cares for you a great deal."

"And I for him. He won't understand."

"I-"

"No, please don't," she whispered breathlessly. "No words." With that she leaned in even closer and pressed her lips against his, the touch as soft as butterfly wings. She pulled away and noted his look of surprise, but before she could step back from him, he pulled her against him again, and this time the kiss was strong, demanding, and she sank into it with a small gasp ofwonder.

Suddenly the still quiet of the nightwas shattered by a roar. "What are you doin'! Get your damnhands off her!" Furious hands wrenched Buck away and tossed him against the riverbank.

"No!" she cried. "Jamey, no! Leave him alone!"

"What the _hell_ is goin' on, Llewellyn?" Jimmy demanded.

"What does it look like?" she asked, raising her chin defiantly.

" Jimmy, don't yell at her. I was the one-"

"Get outta here, Buck! Get the hell outta here before I do somethin' I really regret!" Jimmy turned on his friend and rested his hand on his gun. After a moment Buck nodded and retreated back to the bunkhouse, hoping Brenna could calm the other man.

"Jamey, please, let me explain," she began after a tense silence.

"Explain what!" he cried, whirling to face her. "You were kissin' him! He's one of my best friends and you were _kissing_ him!"

"I can kiss whomever I please! What the hell were you doing out here in the middle of thenight?"

"I could ask you the same damn thing, 'cept I guess with you it's pretty obvious."

"What's that supposed to mean!"

"You just met him! What are you doin' kissin' him?"

She took a deep breath and tried to gain control of her temper. "James, it's late. Maybe we should both cool off and talk about this in the morning."

"I think you're the one who needs to _cool off_," he ground out, noticing her disheveled hair and flushed cheeks.

Brenna let out a long sigh. "This is exactly what I was afraid of. I tried to tell him. I knew if you found out you wouldn't understand."

"Found out? How the hell long has this been goin' on?"

"Nothing's 'going on,' Jamey. I came out here for a swim, and Buck was here fishing. We talked, and then...I kissed him."

He blinked in astonishment. "_You_ kissed _him_ ?"

"You heard me," she shot back, smoky green eyes blazing. "Buck is a wonderful person, Jamey, and I like him a lot. That's not a crime, and neither is kissing him."

"I never said it was, I just..." he trailed off, suddenly unsure of himself. She had kissed Buck? He thought...but...

"Please don't hate me, Jamey," she said into the silence, her voice sounding small and vulnerable.

He looked up at her, completely shocked. "Hate you? Ellie, I could never hate you." He sighed. "I just...I mean...do you love him?"

"Love him? I don't know. As you pointed out, I haven't known him long."

"Sometimes it don't take long," he said with a restless shrug. Hell, he'd known he was in love with her within the first five minutes of meeting her. He decided now wasn't the best time to share that information, though, and he began to pace. "Look, I ain'tmad, not anymore. I just don't understand."

"You thought if I'd be kissing anyone, it would be you."

Jimmy stopped, frowned, shook his head...and smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I guess. Hoped, at least. Aman can dream, can't he?"

She smiled and went to him, enclosing him in a long hug. "I love you, James. I'll always love you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I do." _Just not the way I want you to_, he thought sadly. He cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled. "It's late. You should get some sleep."

"What are you going to do about Buck?"

He frowned for a moment, considering. "I'd thought about kickin' his ass from here to Mexico, but I don't want you gettin' all mad at me. I guess I'll just give him a good talkin' to about respectin' women and the like." After a moment he shrugged. "He's a good guy, Ellie, but if he hurts you, I'll kill him. I promise you that."

Her eyes reflected the silver moonlight as she looked up at him. "I know, Jamey."

With another sad smile, he turned and walked back to the bunkhouse, leaving her alone with wolf, moon, river and long, hard thoughts. "Oh, James," she whispered into the night, "what have I done?"

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was a quiet affair, despite two extra people at the table. Buck wasn't speaking to Jimmy, Jimmy wasn't speaking to Buck, and Brenna was trying to avoid speaking to anyone. Emma couldn't help but notice these new tensions, and they worried her. Brenna Mackenzie seemed like a sweet girl, buttrouble followedher wherever she went. Emma didn't want any trouble for her boys, but it looked like it had come anyway. 

As the Riders began to file out, Emma called Brenna back. "Mind helpin' me with some of these dishes? How's the arm?"

"A lot better, thank you." She started stacking the breakfast dishes and wondered what was on Emma's mind.

The older woman decided to cut straight to the chase. "What's got Jimmy so hot under the collar? I figure it's got somethin' to do with Buck, and you, and I think I can make a pretty good guess as to what, but I'd rather hear it straight from the source."

Brenna let out a long sigh as she set the stack of plates into the sink. "I'm not surprised you noticed. Last night I went for a late swim in the river, but Buck was already there. We got to talkin', and Jimmy happened to pop up at just the wrong time. I thought I had him calmed down, but I know he's upset."

"I don't want any of my boys hurt over you, Brenna," Emma said sternly.

"I don't want them hurt either! Jamey is one of my best friends, and I know he feels more than just friendship for me. But since I've been here, I've come to care about all of them, Buck in particular. There's just something about him. He understands me in away no one really has before. I've changed since I knew Jamey, but he thinks I'm still the same girl he knew years ago."

After a moment Emma said, "Want my advice?"

"It would be much appreciated, yes, ma'am."

"Follow your heart, Brenna. I know it may sound silly, but it's the best advice I can give you. I know Jimmy's your friend, and I know he's in love with you. I also see Buck lookin' at you like you're the only thing in the world, and I notice you lookin' at him, too. Somebody's gonna get hurt in this, it's inevitable. So just be careful, watch your step, and listen to your heart."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Emma. Would you mind-"

"Go talk to him," she interrupted with a smile. "He'll be in the barn doin' chores."

"Thank you!" Brenna said again, grabbing her coat and hat as she hurried out the door.

* * *

Brenna found him in the barn, as Emma had said, and when he paused in his work she went to him. "Could we go somewhere to talk?" 

Buck looked up at her in surprise. He'd thought after last night she'd never want to speak to him again. True, she had kissed him first, but she'd been friends with Jimmy for a long time, and surely she wouldn't want to risk that on a half-breed like him. "Yeah, sure," he said at last. "We can go into the tack room."

She nodded and followed him into the small space that smelled of leather and saddle oil. It was a good smell,and she took a deep lungful of it to fortify herself for what she wanted tosay. "Buck, listen," she said, turning to face him with a small smile, "I wanted to apologize for last night."

Apologize? Great. "Hey, don't worry about it. I mean, with the moon and the river and the wolf chasing frogs...anyone could just caught up in the moment and do something like that." He tried to keep his tone light, but inside a part of him was dying.

"What? You think I'm apologizing for kissing you? No, silly! Though I guess I could apologize for being a wuss about it. If you're going to kiss someone, you should really kiss him...kinda like the way you kissed me." She looked up at him through dark eyelashes, and he noticed the blush tingeing her cheeks a soft pink.

"So are you apologizing for kissing me or not?" he asked, teasing her a little now.

"No. I mean, yes. Wait...no...wait, I'm all confused!" She took a deep breath and decided to start over. "I'm apologizing for the way Jamey behaved. I should have told him earlier that I...er, which is to say, he shouldn't have found out that way, by stumbling upon us like that."

"Found out about what?" That half-smile was making an appearance again. Teasing her, he was quickly discovering, could be counted as one of life'sgreatest joys.

"About us. Or at least about us kissing. Or at least about me wanting to kiss you."

"You want to kiss me?"

"Sometimes, yes."

"Now?"

"No. That is, not right this minute, because I'm trying to get something out, and kissing you would just muddle the whole thing."

"Oh, all right then," he said with a grin.

"Stop making fun of me! I'm serious."

His smile evaporated, and the look in his deep, dark eyes became tender. "I know you are, Brenna. Whatever you have to say, I'm listening."

She reached up and ran her fingers along his cheek. "I like you a lot, Buck. Jamey is my friend, and I know he'd like for our relationship to be more than that, but it's not what I want."

"What do you want?" he asked quietly.

Her smile was sweet and her voice soft as she said, "You."

"Oh, well that's good. I've been thinking lately that I just might want you too." With that and a grin, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and sweet.

* * *

Above them, unnoticed in the hayloft, Jimmy sat listening. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but during a break in his chores he'd heard the sound of Brenna's voice coming from below and had stopped to listen. Now he wished he hadn't. He could've gone his whole life without hearing her say those words to another man. 

With a soft sigh, Jimmy sank down into the hay and felt his heart break.

End V

* * *

Having fun or as miserable as Jimmy? Review me! 


	6. Sky Blue and Black VI

Sky Blue and Black  
Part VI

* * *

"You're the color of the sky reflected in each store-front window pane.  
You're the whispering and sighing of my tires in the rain.  
You're the hidden cost and the thing that's lost in everything I do.  
Yeah and I'll never stop looking for you,  
In the sunlight and the shadows,  
And the faces on the avenue."  
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

Jeremiah Lapke was not a patient man. He wanted Brenna Mackenzie, and he wanted her now. Yes, he wanted Francis Mackenzie, but that desire wasn't as immediate. Brenna had killed his son, stolen his money and evaded him for weeks. And, besides, Brenna offered so many more _interesting_ _diversions_ than her brother.

Jeremiah had been wrong to trust Jonas, that much was obvious. His brother was now, unfortunately, dead. That was another thing for which he had to thank Brenna Mackenzie: the knife wound she had inflicted upon Jonas' hand had turned septic, and he'd died from the infection. Clearly Jeremiah was going to have to handle the Mackenzie problem himself, something he should have done from the beginning.

All ready he'd learned of Brenna's whereabouts: she was still in Sweetwater, living at the Pony Express station, of all the places! And, apparently, Francis was with her. That only sweetened the deal. Jeremiah would kill Francis and take Brenna, and no one would get hurt. Sam Cain was the Marshall in these parts, he'd heard, though he hardly believed it. Sam Cain, a Marshall? Surely it was so he could work the system. And work the system he would, for his old employer, Jeremiah Lapke.

With a smug smile at himself in the mirror, Jeremiah straightened his tie, donned his hat and decided that things were certainly looking up. Whistling a tune, he strode from the room. He had an appointment to keep.

* * *

Emma was hanging laundry out to dry when Sam came galloping up, dust flying everywhere. She'd never seen him move that fast; he seemed to be in a panic. "Sam!" she cried, hurrying into the stable yard. "Sam, what's wrong?"

Catching sight of her, the Marshall quickly reined in his horse. It stopped, panting and snorting, and Sam didn't look much better. "Where's Brenna?" he managed to gasp after a moment.

"Down by the creek with Buck and Ike. What's the matter? You came ridin' in here like the Devil himself was on your tail!"

"Close, Emma: Jeremiah Lapke came to see me today, and he knows Brenna and Frank are here."

Emma pressed a hand to her chest and closed her eyes. "God help us. Is he coming here?"

"Most likely. You get inside now; hide out. I'll go find Brenna and the boys."

"But, Sam, if he's alone-"

"He's probably not, but even if he is, that don't really matter with a man like Lapke. Also, apparently Jonas died from that knife wound."

She sighed. "You be careful, Sam. Take care of those kids."

"I'll do my best. Hide, Emma. Stay out of sight."

She nodded smartly and hurried into the house. As soon as the door closed Sam was off again, riding hard for the creek. He had to find Brenna.

* * *

It was a beautiful morning, and Buck had suggested a picnic, so Brenna, Ike and Francis had trooped off to the creek to spend the morning fishing, laughing and enjoying the bright sunshine. Jeremiah Lapke had been far from everyone's mind, and that had been their first major mistake. Their second was tossing their weapons aside in a happy, carefree manner, as though danger weren't stalking them. He caught them completely unprepared, and they had no one to blame but themselves.

Buck had disappeared on some mysterious errand (to collect some late blackberries, it turned out, to surprised Brenna, but he never found them), and the others were left at the creek. Brenna was stretched out on the picnic blanket, absorbing the morning sun like a cat, and Ike and Francis were tossing a ball back and forth. It was a quiet, peaceful moment, and Brenna didn't notice anything was amiss until a shadow fell between her and sun.

Thinking it was Buck, she didn't bother to open her eyes. "Find what you were looking for?" she asked, laughing.

"You could say that," a chillingly familiar voice replied.

Her gray-green eyes flew open in shock, and she let out a little shriek. Horrified, she took in the scene before her: Buck, with a gun to his head...and Jeremiah Lapke holding the gun. "Let him go!" she demanded desperately.

Frank and Ike, hearing her cry, turned to see what the trouble was. Her brother paled noticeably at the sight of Jeremiah, and Ike shook with anger at seeing his friend in danger. "You don't need him, Jeremiah," the younger Mackenzie said. "You came here for me, so let's just get out of here."

"No, Frank," Jeremiah replied with a sneer, "you're just icing on the cake. I actually came here for your lovely sister. And since she seems to have some sort of feelings for this Indian mutt, I figured with him up my sleeve she might just cooperate."

Brenna rose slowly to her feet, holding her hands out to indicate that she was unarmed. "Look, Jeremiah, Frank's right. We'll go with you. You don't need to take hostages."

Jeremiah laughed, and more men emerged from the surrounding brush, holding guns on Ike and her brother. "The more the merrier, I say."

"You know what, Jeremiah? I was just gonna say the same thing!" someone said from behind Brenna. Just then Sam, followed by Teaspoon and the other Riders, appeared in the clearing. "I think you need to let these kids go and get on your merry little way. We don't hold with this kinda lawlessness in my territory, despite what you may think."

"Ah, Marshall, just the man I wanted to see. This young lady is the woman I told you about earlier. She killed my son and my brother. Arrest her, please." He said this smugly, and his eyes twinkled with some inner mirth that made Brenna sick.

"Well, now," Sam drawled, thinking it over, "do you have any proof of that, Mr. Lapke? Far as I can tell, it's just your word against hers, and I don't think she'd confess to somethin' like that. Just look at her, little thing she is.""

Jeremiah blinked at Sam in disbelief. "What are you doing, Cain? I thought we discussed this!"

"I don't work for you anymore, Jeremiah. And currently you're holding a friend of mine at gunpoint. I'm not gonna be inclined to listen to you in that situation, now am I? So let him go, and maybe we'll talk."

"Boss, what say I just shut this guy up?" one of the other men said, brandishing his rifle in Sam's direction.

"No!" Jeremiah screamed, furious. "Just shut up!"

During the course of this conversation, Brenna had been inching closer to her discarded gun, hoping to get a hand on it. At this new outburst, she saw her chance. Making a leap, she grabbed her weapon and pulled it from its holster. But just then, Jeremiah noticed her.

"Miss Mackenzie, whatever are you doing?" Though he sounded calm, there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes, a look Jimmy didn't like at all. He watched in horror as Jeremiah raised his weapon, this time pointing it at Brenna!

"No!" he cried. Without thinking, he ran for her, grabbing her and pushing her out of the way. He heard the blast of the pistol and the sharp, burning pain as the bullet entered his leg. He hit the ground with a jarring thud, and a moment later Brenna was turning him over, her voice panic-stricken.

"Jamey, oh my God! Jamey, what the hell were you thinking? I had a gun in my hand, you moron, I could've shot him!"

She sounded far away, and so did the sounds of all hell breaking loose around them. Ike and Francis were wrestling with Jeremiah's men, and Buck was trying to get the gun away from Jeremiah himself. The other Riders were somewhere among it all, but Jimmy couldn't pinpoint individual voices or faces, just Brenna's, above him, still yelling at him. "Shut up, Ellie. I'm fine. I've taken a bullet before," he managed at last.

"Don't tell me to shut up, James Butler Hickok!" she admonished. "Don't move, I'll be right back." As if he were in a state to go gallivanting around, he thought. A few moments later she was back, and he heard a ripping that sounded suspiciously like...

"My pants! Ellie, did you just tear my pants!"

"I have to get to the wound, James. How else can I tend it?" she asked practically. She poked around for awhile, then applied something powdery that stung like the blazes and left him cursing a blue streak, told him again to shut up and stay still, and disappeared. She reappeared a few moments later looking very dirty and proud of herself, and offered him a cup of water, which he drank thirstily.

"Look, Ellie, really, I'm fine. What's going on? Where'd everybody go? I can help. I should be helping."

"You're an idiot. Apparently everything moved...over there...somewhere, because Jeremiah ran away, everyone chased him and they found a whole big group of his gang. Now they're all shooting at each other. I really hope..." She looked off toward the sounds of the gun battle, worry etched on her pretty, dusty face. Shaking her head, she continued. "Anyway, you're not going anywhere. Your wound isn't that bad, really, but you need to stay off that leg for at least three days so the flesh doesn't tear any further. Luckily the bullet isn't still in there."

Suddenly Kid appeared, running toward them and calling for Brenna. "It's your brother!" he cried. "He's been hurt. Come on, hurry!"

"Oh God," she whispered. With a glance at Jimmy, she grabbed her saddlebag and ran after Kid, straight toward the sounds of battle. "What happened?" she asked him as they ran.

"I'm not sure. I think he might've been shot, but there's not much blood. He just...he doesn't look good. He told me to come get you."

She nodded and they made the rest of the short trip in silence; she was relieved when they topped a small rise and she could see her brother surrounded by a small group. Brenna hurried to him and knelt at his side. "Frankie? Hey, what happened? Are you all right?"

He was clutching his side, and when he moved his hand a small amount of blood trickled out. "'A scratch,'" he murmured, "''Twill serve: ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man.'"

She laughed softly. "All right, Mercutio, good to see you have your humor still intact. This will hurt." She pressed her fingers around the wound, lips clamped together in concentration. After a moment she closed her eyes, realizing why so little blood was issuing forth. The bullet was holding back the bleeding; to remove it would kill him within a few minutes. But over the course of the next few days, as he moved, the bullet would shift and cause more damage. It was a mortal wound; it would, indeed, serve.

"Gentleman," she said to the Riders, "would you mind giving us some space? I have some delicate work to perform." They all backed off quickly, and she and Francis were virtually alone. She met his eyes, so like her own, and tried to smile.

"It's all right, Bren. I know."

"I'm sorry, Frankie. I could take it out; it'd be over pretty quick. I could give you something for the pain, and-"

"No, I don't want to die like that. I want to die at home, with Mother and Fa and Mickey...and you."

He suddenly looked so young, so pale beneath his bright freckles, that she wanted to weep. "You won't survive the journey, Francis," she whispered.

"I...I don't care. Take me home, Brenna? Please? I know what I'm asking you to leave behind here, but I...I really wanna go home."

She bit her lower lip and glanced over her shoulder at Buck. He was standing quietly with Ike, watching the others as they gathered the bodies of Jeremiah's fallen men. She felt her heart twist in her chest, but she knew the decision she had to make. Francis was her baby brother. As much as she loved - yes, _loved_ - Buck, Frank had to come first. She had to take him back to White Oak. "All right, Frankie. We'll go home."

He smiled and nodded in relief. "But don't tell the others, all right? I don't want anyone to know about this. I don't want them looking at me...like that."

"I won't tell. Here, let me bind the wound. The tighter I bind it, the less the bullet will shift. Try to keep your movements to a minimum, all right?" As she worked, Brenna wondered what she was going to tell Buck, and how she was going to face leaving him. He would accuse her of running again, and how could she deny it? A part of her was. Going home, despite everything, really was the easier solution. But she knew her heart would stay here, and she'd never forget the time she'd spent falling in love with Buck Cross.

* * *

Later that afternoon, after the dead were all buried (including, Brenna had been rather surprised to find out, Jeremiah Lapke himself), and Jimmy and Frank were settled down to rest, Brenna, Buck, Teaspoon and Lou found themselves gathered in Emma's front yard. The others had all departed, knowing that soon goodbyes would be said, and no one quite knew what to do or how to handle each other. It was awkward and strange.

Finally Teaspoon broke the silence. "You could stay and join up with us here, ya know. We could use a good rider like you," he drawled.

Brenna's glance flicked to Lou, and then back to Teaspoon, confusion written on her face. "Join the Pony Express? I thought they didn't allow women."

Teaspoon scratched his chin, considering. He spat off to the side, scratched some more, and said, "Well, I guess that's somethin' they just wouldn't have to know, now ain't it?"

Her eyes widened a fraction in surprise. "You'd do that? Lie for me like that?"

"Sure, why not? The way I sees it, you're kinda like family now, ain'tcha?"

"Family. I suppose, in a way."

"And it ain't exactly like lyin'. It just ain't quite tellin' the whole truth. What they don't know can't hurt 'em."

Brenna raised a brow in Lou's direction, and the other girl blanched under the meaningful look. Turning her attention back to Teaspoon, she said, "While it means a lot that you'd be willing to cover for me like that, I'm afraid I must decline. I - I should get home, should make sure Frank gets home in one piece. Thank you, but no." She wouldn't meet Buck's eyes as she spoke, because she couldn't bear what she knew she'd see there.

Teaspoon, oblivious to the undercurrents running between them all, merely shrugged. "All right, suit yourself. But you always got a home to come back to here." With that and a satisfied nod, he strolled into the house.

"You could tell him, Lou," Brenna said quietly once the front door was shut. "You heard him: if he would lie for me, he certainly would for you."

"I don't know, Brenna," she replied, shaking her head, "he'd be so angry with me for lying to him this long! What would he say when I told him?"

"I think he'd understand. Just talk to him. I think you'd be happier if you could be yourself."

Lou sighed and stared at the house for a long time, a strange look in her eyes. After a while she nodded. "I guess you're right. I'll try to find a good time to talk to him about it. The sooner I tell him...the sooner Kid and I can..." She blushed and trailed off with a grin that Brenna matched with one of her own. "Thanks, Bren," she said. "I wish you were stickin' around, but I understand." With a glance at Buck, Lou decided to make herself scarce. "Well, I'll see ya before you go. Bye!" She ran off.

The silence was deep and dark and lasted a long time. "What?" Brenna said at last.

"You know what," he replied in a low, sad voice.

She shook her head defiantly, taking off for the barn. He wasn't letting her get off that easily, and he matched her step for step. "You're running again, Brenna. Why? Jimmy's been shot before. He's going to be fine. You could stay here, you could join us." He grabbed her arm and pulled her around to face him, his voice soft and imploring as he said, "We could be together. Why are you leaving? I just don't understand."

"You and Jimmy were nearly killed tryin' to save my life. Jimmy was shot. You were held at gunpoint. That doesn't even count all the danger the others were put in. It's not my place to put you in that kind of position."

"You didn't. We put ourselves there. We wanted to be able to protect you, Brenna, because we care about you. It's why Frank risked his life for you, why you risked your life for him. You two aren't leaving each other!"

"That's another reason. I have to get Francis back to White Oak." She wouldn't look at him as she said it, and a silence followed.

"You're an excellent healer, Brenna. And even if you weren't, there are doctors here. He might not even survive the journey."

When she raised her face, it was streaked with tears. Each one was like a knife to his heart. "I know that, Buck. That's why I have to take him back. He's dying. He has to be buried at home. Mother and Fa have to see him one last time. My family has to say goodbye to my baby brother."

"I - his wound - I didn't realize - he's dying?" Buck stuttered, shocked. He'd had no idea the younger Mackenzie was so bad off. He'd seemed fine, though pale, earlier that day, and Brenna hadn't seemed overly concerned, just in a hurry to be off. At her look of anguish, his heart melted and he took her in his arms. "Oh, Brenna, why didn't you tell me?" he murmured into her hair.

She let out a desperate little laugh through her tears. "I didn't want to worry you."

He sighed and stroked a hand down her long brown braid. "I'll come with you."

She pulled away and looked up into his face, searching. Was he serious? Could he really mean it? He was. He did. "No, Buck, you belong here."

"I belong with you," he said softly, touching his lips to the tears on each of her cheeks. "Wherever you are, that's where I should be."

"What about Ike?" she asked.

He closed his eyes. "Ike."

"You can't leave him. Would he come, too? His place is here. And so is yours. We both know that." Her smoky green eyes regarded him intently as he thought it over, and after several long moments he rested his forehead against hers with a sigh.

"I want to come."

"I know."

"But I just can't."

"I know that, too." A pause. "I can't stay."

"I realize that now. Come back to me?"

"Yes," she whispered, "I can do that. As soon as I see to Francis, I can come back. I _will_ come back."

"Promise me," he said, pulling away and taking her face in his lean brown hands.

"I promise, Buck. I'll come back."

He pulled her to him and kissed her hard, and their tears mingled as each prayed that it was a promise she'd be able to keep.

* * *

Jimmy was dozing when a knock brought him back to reality. He jolted, then cursed at the pain, and called for the visitor to enter. He almost cursed again when Brenna came striding in, looking sad and beautiful and incredibly fragile. "If you've come to apologize again, don't. I've told you five hundred times that I knew what I was doin', and I'd do it again if I was given the chance."

She smiled a little at this speech and sat in the room's only chair, pulling it up to the bed. "No, Jamey, I'm not here to apologize. At least, not for getting you shot." She sighed and pulled her long braid around so that she could fiddle with the end, a sure sign that she was nervous. "Frank and I are leaving," she said after a long, tense moment.

"What?" he asked stupidly.

"Frank wants to go home, and I'm going with him. Maybe it's time I tried to make up with Fa, you know? And I miss Mother. I miss White Oak. I just...I need to go home." She said this last so softly that he found himself studying her more deeply than he had in a long time, searching for the meaning behind her words.

"It ain't just about your brother, though. It's about me and Buck, too, right?" Her silence spoke volumes, and he let out a long sigh. "Look, Ellie, me and Buck can handle ourselves. I don't want you leavin' because of that. I was pretty upset about it, yeah, but...well...I seen the way you two look at each other, and I ain't stupid. If Buck's who you want, I ain't gonna stand in your way. Hell, Ellie, I'm even kinda happy for ya." It pained him to say it, but in a way it was true: when he put himself between Ellie and Jeremiah's bullet, he'd known he'd do anything for her, even give her to another man. He was just glad that man was a friend, someone he admired and respected. It made it easier somehow.

Brenna, meanwhile, was still fiddling with her braid. "I don't want to hurt you any further, Jamey," she said at last.

"You keep sayin' that, Ellie, but have you ever thought that maybe you leavin' is what would hurt me? That watchin' Buck mope around here every damn day and knowin' it was partly my doin' would hurt me? What you're doin' is what would hurt _you_ the least, what's easiest for _you_, so don't gimme this 'don't wanna hurt you, Jamey' bullshit, because I ain't buyin' it, Ellie. You ain't a coward, so quit the hell actin' like one."

She stared at him, speechless. "I just - I guess I hadn't thought of it that way. But it's more complicated than that."

"The hell it is!" he shot back.

"Actually, it is. Francis was wounded during the...confrontation, as you know. He's dying, James. I need to take him home. I don't know if he'll even survive the trip, but he wants to be buried at White Oak, and he wants to say goodbye to Mother and Fa and Mickey if at all possible."

All the passionate anger drained out of him, and he suddenly looked white. "Oh," he said shortly. "Oh, Ellie, I'm sorry. Jesus, I didn't know. What an idiot."

She shook her head. "It's fine, Jamey. You were right, really, and if it weren't for Francis...you might actually have convinced me to stay." But her smile was tight as she said it, and he wasn't sure he believed her. "As it is, I promised Buck I'd come back once I got everything...settled...at home."

"And you'll keep it?"

"Of course I will. I don't break promises, Jamey."

He took her hand and stared deeply into her smoky green eyes. "Do it, Llewellyn. You two ain't known each other that long, but I know you, and I know Buck. You love each other; I can tell. I know he'll wait for you."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked away, unable to meet such a penetrating gaze. "How do you know?" she asked, her voice choked with emotion.

"Because I would. You're worth it, Ellie, even though you're stubborn as an old mule and you got a temper on ya that'd try anyone's patience. But you're worth it. And, besides, that's the way love is."

* * *

The next morning dawned bright as a promise, the sky washed in too many delicate colors to count. The small group currently assembled under that glory of a sky wasn't really appreciating it in the way it deserved, too wrapped up as they were in their own issues. It was time to say goodbye, and none of them wanted to do it.

Emma was tucking yet another bundle into Frank's saddlebag, and he found himself laughing at her. "If you put anything else in there, the poor mare won't be able to walk!" he said, and she couldn't help but notice how thin his voice sounded, how dark the shadows under his eyes were. He looked so pale! She didn't think this journey back east was a good idea, but she knew the Mackenzies had their reasons, and she wasn't going to interfere. She'd just provide for them the best she could and send them on their way. And pray. A lot.

Sam was deep in conversation with Brenna, helping her plan out the best route through the territory and eastward. She wanted to avoid the remaining vestiges of Jeremiah's gang as much as she could, and Sam was in the best position to know where they might be holed up. As they talked, Buck looked on, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Ike was his silent, concerned shadow, and after a moment Jimmy limped over to join them, looking pale but otherwise much recovered.

"Hey," Buck said, "how's the leg?"

"Better. Gonna have to use this damn crutch for a while, though."

Buck nodded slowly. "She'll be mad you're up. She said you were supposed to stay in bed for three days, no less."

Jimmy laughed. "Like she could follow orders like that. She'll hafta get over it. I couldn't let her leave without sayin' goodbye, and she knows it."

After a moment, Buck turned to face his friend, his eyes serious. "Look, Jimmy, you know I never meant-"

The other man shook his head quickly. "Forget it. Me and Ellie talked about it last night, and I'm all right. I mean, I ain't great, but I'll be fine. She chose you, and y'all are better than she and me would be anyway. We'd just kill each other."

"So you and me, we're gonna be all right, too?"

"Yeah, Buck, we're gonna be just fine."

Buck grinned and held out his hand. "That's some of the best news I've heard all day."

Jimmy accepted the offered hand and they shook, but then he grabbed his friend in a hug that left them both laughing. "Good to see you boys gettin' along so well," Brenna said as she joined them, "but you should still be in bed, Jamey!"

The two boys shared a look and burst out laughing all over again, while she looked on, puzzled. Diana, never one to resist a little fun, inserted herself between Buck and Jimmy, tail wagging. Buck reached down to scratch her ears with a grin. Brenna laughed. "That wolf is going to be so spoiled from all this attention! She'll never be the same."

Buck's dark eyes were serious as they met hers. "I don't think any of us will."

"Bren?" Frank said. "Maybe we should get goin'."

"Yeah, Frankie, I'm comin'."

The other Riders had been keeping their distance, but now they wandered closer. Lou was the first to offer Brenna a hug, the other girl's attitude now so different from the suspicious, distrustful way she'd been at first. "Good luck, Brenna. Thanks for everything."

She smiled. "Good look with Kid," she whispered, causing Lou to blush bright pink. Laughing, she pulled away and went to Jimmy. "Take care of yourself, James. Try not to get shot up too much, right?"

"I'll do my best. Hopefully next time I won't actually throw myself at the bullet."

"That would be a start," she said, smiling through tears. With one last hug, she moved on.

She thanked Emma and Teaspoon for all their help and hospitality, gave Sam a big hug and told him sternly to keep in touch, hugged each of the Riders (much to Cody's delight and Kid's embarrassment), and then was left with just Buck. The others fell back to give them some privacy, and they were virtually alone.

"Well," he said.

"Well," was her ingenious reply.

They both laughed. "Oh, I'm going to miss you," she murmured, moving closer and running her fingers across his cheek, pushing a lock of dark hair off his forehead.

He smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But we'll see each other soon. You're coming back, right?"

"Yeah, I'm coming back. I always keep my promises."

"Then this isn't really goodbye. It's just 'see you soon.'"

"Exactly. See you soon." But it was little comfort, and they both knew it.

"So I'll see you soon?" he whispered, pulling her to him.

"You'll see me soon," she confirmed, raising her mouth for his long, lingering kiss. For once her hair was loose, and he ran his fingers through it, loving the silky feel of it. Reluctantly she pulled away. "I have to go," she said quietly.

"I know." Taking her hand in his, he led her back to Frank and the horses and helped her mount.

Smiling down at him, she said, "See ya soon, Buck Cross." She pulled her hat up onto her head and dug her heels into Luna's side, and they were off.

"See ya soon, Brenna Mackenzie," he whispered into the wind, watching wistfully as the small group disappeared into the blazing morning sun.

End VI

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	7. Sky Blue and Black Epilogue

Sky Blue and Black  
Epilogue  
1893

* * *

I honestly never thought I'd finish this story. I figured it was just another one of those that would sit on my hard drive until the end of time just taking up space, another unfinished work. It looks like I was wrong, and that's a VERY GOOD THING. 

This Epilogue takes place in 1893, which is a little over 30 years after the main body of the story. Why? Um. Well, actually, the only reason is because I wanted to incorporate Cody at the Chicago World's Fair into it. :) That's all. Funny, huh? Yeah, I'm strange. And because, well, a quick end to the tale just didn't seem realistic, all things considered.

I've hinked up the dates a little, historians will note: the Chicago World's Fair (or the World's Columbian Exposition, as it's more accurately called in the story) did take place in 1893, and Buffalo Bill (our dear William F. Cody) had his Wild West show just outside the gates. The hinky date would be James Butler Hickok's death. He actually died in 1876, and even in those days that's a LONG DAMN TIME for a letter to get to Brenna, so I'm pretending he died much, much closer to the 1890's. I'm sure Mr. Hickok would appreciate me trying to extend his lifespan. Brenna's explanation of his death is true, as far as historians are concerned, down to the cards he was holding at the time. It's known as the "dead man's hand" today for that reason.

And, just as a side note, I never realized how hard it would be to write a story without using "ok." That was a serious bitch!!

Anyway, on with the show. Review me and let me know what you think!

* * *

"That's the way love is,  
That's the way love is,  
That's the way love is...  
Sky blue and black."  
-from "Sky Blue and Black" by Jackson Browne

* * *

Brenna Llewellyn Mackenzie had been to cities before: New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, even Chicago. But the Chicago she was in now was different than any place she'd ever been before. The White City, the country's nickname for the World's Columbian Exposition, rose gleaming and beautiful and glorious to the south. She could see the skeletal structure of Mr. Ferris' famous wheel, and decided that as soon as her business was through she'd see if it was worth all the fuss it had been getting.

With a deep sigh, Brenna read the sign above her one last time. "Buffalo Bill's Wild West," it proclaimed in big, sweeping letters, along with descriptions of the wonders that particular show would entail. Smiling and shaking her head, Brenna entered the theatre.

A young man stood at the entrance, though since the next show wasn't scheduled for another few hours, Brenna wasn't sure why. "Excuse me, sir?" she said politely, even though he was at least thirty years her junior.

"Yes, ma'am? How may I help you? The ticket window is outside and around the corner, and the next show is at six o'clock."

"Ah, yes, thank you, but I'm not here for the show. I'm here to see Colonel Cody."

He gave her a look that clearly said "you and everyone else," but merely replied, "Yes, ma'am, and what business do you have with the Colonel?"

She frowned slightly. "We're old friends. Please, either go fetch him or tell me where I might find him. It's very important."

After a moment's consideration he nodded and pointed her in the right direction. She thanked him and followed his directions to Cody's office. Hesitating a moment, she raised her fist and knocked politely.

The sight that met her eyes when the door opened nearly sent her into fits of hysterics. He hadn't changed a bit, except that his once blond hair was now white, and longer. He was dressed in white buckskin, fringe everywhere, and a huge white hat that matched perfectly. She could tell he didn't recognize her, but his smile was polite and inviting anyway.

"Hello there, ma'am, Colonel William F. Cody at your service. What can I do for you?"

She smiled brightly at his bow and once again could barely contain her laughter. "Well, Colonel Cody, I see that while you're no longer the best Russell, Majors and Waddell have to offer, you're a pretty fine example of an Army man."

His smile faltered for a moment as he studied her intently, searching for the key...he found it in her smoky green eyes, which were the same even after all these years, despite new lines framing them. "Brenna? Brenna Mackenzie?!"

She had aged quite well, he thought. Her hair was streaked with brilliant silver beneath her charming blue hat, and the body encased in a stylish blue gown was still that of a girl's. Her face had matured from girlish loveliness into a woman's timeless beauty. Buck Cross was a fool, Cody thought, for letting this woman walk out of his life.

"Good guess. It's been a long time."

"Forever! Come in! What the hell are you doin' here? Stupid question, I guess: you're here to see the White City, like everyone else in the country. I guess I should ask what brings you to my little piece of the action." He led her into the spacious office and offered her a chair, which she accepted gladly.

"Is it still Mackenzie?" he continued, pouring her a glass of water. "Or did some smart fella finally reel you in?"

"No, it's still Mackenzie." She sipped the water and smiled up at him. "I'm an old maid, I guess, but after the war..." She trailed off and he nodded as a pained look flashed through her eyes. "Luckily White Oak was spared from Sherman's fires, though I don't know quite how. We survived, barely, and the last thing I had time to think about was finding a husband. Besides," she said with a sad smile, "I left my heart at that Pony Express station a long time ago."

He nodded solemnly. "I always hoped you and Buck'd find each other again, but I guess it never worked out. You ever hear from him? Or Jimmy?"

"Buck, no. I don't know where he is. But Jimmy is actually the reason I'm here." She took a deep breath and a long drink of water before continuing. "Jimmy's dead, Billy."

Shocked silence followed. "Dead?" he ventured at last. "How? When?"

She shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure when. A while ago, apparently. How...he was playing cards, and some drunk shot him. Sad, isn't it? He was holding two pair: aces and eights."

Cody just shook his head, disbelieving. "How'd you find out?"

She reached into a pocket of her elegant blue gown and pulled out a crumpled, stained envelope. "He sent me this. Good thing White Oak wasn't burned or this would've had no place to go. Along with it came a chest full of...all sorts of things. He asked me to...distribute them.

"I don't know why he wanted me to do it. I guess maybe he wouldn't know how to send it all to you; you've been gallivanting around Europe for so long with this show of yours. Maybe he thought it would upset Kid and Lou too much...who knows..."

"He trusted you, that's all. And maybe he thought it would give you an excuse to look everybody up."

Brenna smiled sadly. "I guess, maybe." She raised her head and brushed tears from her eyes. "I've come to bring you what Jimmy wanted you to have." She opened up the bag she carried and pulled from it a meticulously wrapped package, which she handed to him gently.

"What is it?" he asked, handling the package with reverence.

"Open it."

Carefully ripping the paper aside he revealed one of Jimmy's beloved Navy Colts, the guns he'd carried back in their days with the Pony Express. It had been lovingly cared for, and it shone in the light of the gas lamps. "Brenna, no, I can't take this! He musta meant it for you, not me."

"He gave me the other one. That one is for you. He said you'd know how to care for it. Do take it, Billy, he knew how you always admired it so."

"I did. He was the best shot I ever saw. I shoulda gone to see him, shoulda taken my wife and introduced her to one of the best friends I ever had."

She smiled sadly. "There are a great many things we all should've done, Billy. Just keep the gun, and remember our friend. Tell your wife about him."

He took her elegantly gloved hand and held it in silence for a while, and she was touched to see such depth of emotion from the boisterous, showy William Cody. At last he said, "He left things for all of us? For Kid and Lou and Buck? Have you seen them yet?"

"Yes. For Kid, his favorite hat, because he said Kid always knew the importance of a good hat." She smiled. "There are some Pony Express mysteries to which I'm not privy, apparently.

"For Lou was a photograph taken by Teaspoon years ago, not long after I was there. Ike's in it, and Noah and Rachel, neither of whom I had the pleasure to know. You all looked so young and happy. She cried when I gave it to her."

Brenna paused then, with a fond smile. "They're still so happy, Billy! They have six kids and ten grandchildren, with two on the way. They told me to give you their best."

He nodded thoughtfully, and after another deep silence said, "Now you go find Buck."

It wasn't a question. "Yes. Though he might be dead for all I know."

"Yeah, dead or married."

She stiffened. "His marital status is none of my concern, Billy."

He grinned. "We're gettin' old, Brenna. Don't you think it's about time we stopped lyin' to ourselves? You didn't get married in all these years, and I bet you this whole damn theatre that he didn't either. You rode off with his heart that day just as sure as he kept yours there."

She studied him for a time, taking in how he'd changed from the boy she had known, and how he was still the same. After a time she nodded. "Age has done you well, Colonel Cody. Yes, I'll go find Buck, if he lives. My heart tells me he does, but my heart's been wrong before."

"Naw, Brenna, that's where you've always gotten confused. Your _heart_ isn't the problem; it's your _head_ that gets in the way."

She laughed. "Ahh, well there you are then. Thanks to you it's all perfectly clear to me."

"Good! So tell me, what're your plans while you're in town?"

"Well I was planning on seeing the Exposition, of course. It looks marvelous. Have you been on the Ferris Wheel yet?"

"Twice. Skip the rest except the Plaisance; you should see my show."

"Buffalo and Indians and a lady sharpshooter? Sounds like my cup of tea. But I insist on seeing the Court of Honor."

"I thought you'd say that. Come on; I'll take you to meet that sharpshooter. Miss Annie Oakley's her name, and I ain't seen anyone better with a gun since James Butler Hickok!"

With a laugh she allowed him to lead her away, but as he rambled on about the marvels of his show and Chicago and even Europe, her mind was far away, and before her eyes danced the image of a familiar half-smile below a set of sparkling, soulful brown eyes.

* * *

Buck Cross wasn't dead, as it turned out, or married. He was merely existing, most days. He had acted as a liaison between the army and the Kiowa for a while, guiding the negotiations in what he hoped was a fair, careful way, but soon the spirit of it had dried up in him. A part of him simply stopped caring if the Kiowa got one more or one less acre of land to live on, or if the army could or couldn't march through Kiowa land on this day or that. It was meaningless.

So much of Buck's life seemed meaningless these days. He scraped a decent living from a small patch of land and remembered a promise made in a barn long ago. It had been over thirty years, but the scene was as vivid in his mind as though it had happened yesterday. He could smell the hay, the horses, her hair. He could feel her tears, the softness of her skin, the slim fit of her body against his. Most of all, though, he remembered her words. She had promised she would come back to him, and every day he had watched for her, and every day he had been disappointed. Finally he'd given up, stopped looking for her, realizing it was hopeless.

So why, he wondered, was he standing at the door of his cabin staring across his land as though this day would be different? This day, of all days? Something about it reminded him of the morning she'd ridden out of his life. The sky was washed with delicate color, like that morning, and the air smelled sweet and clean, new. With a snort of disgust at his own romantic notions, Buck dumped his coffee into the yard and turned back to the house. Just as he did, though, a movement up on the hill caught his eye, and he turned back to focus on the lone rider in the near distance.

Brenna had been searching for him for a long time. Longer, she realized, than just the few months since she'd left Billy in Chicago. It had taken her thirty years and the death of one of her dearest friends to give her the courage to keep the promise she'd made in that barn so long ago, and now she wondered if she'd waited too long. As she crested the final hill between herself and Buck's cabin, she thought perhaps she had. She thought perhaps she should just turn around and catch the next train back east.

She reined in her horse and took a deep, cleansing breath of the fresh morning air. This trip had been a foolish idea. Really, honestly, a very foolish idea. Going home was the smart thing to do. She was just about to turn around when she noticed a figure on the front porch. Despite having not seen him in over thirty years, she instantly recognized the trim form of Buck Cross, and she felt her heart stop.

Just as Buck had the rider in focus, the sun crested the hills, and the blazing light blinded him. He shook his head, blinking hard. He was crazy, imagining things. He had to be. The rider was just someone from town, or someone who'd gotten lost. Despite these rationalizing thoughts, Buck realized he was running across the yard, her named pounding in his head with every beat of his heart.

When she saw him leave the porch, Brenna dismounted quickly and began running down the hill toward him. She had no idea what she was going to say when they met, no idea how she was going to explain breaking her promise, but surely something would come to mind. Suddenly he was there, in front of her, and she stopped short, hand pressed hard against her chest, breath coming in gasps.

"Brenna," he said at last, his voice full of wonder.

"Buck," she replied with a slight laugh. He looked wonderful. His dark brown hair was sprinkled with gray, and lines bracketed those well-remembered, beautiful brown eyes, but he was still the same Buck she had known thirty years before.

"You kept your promise."

Her mouth fell open in surprise, and she shook her head. "Buck, it's been thirty years." She laughed again, this time ruefully. "I should've come sooner," she said softly, reaching up to trace her fingers across his cheek. "But there was the war, which took Mickey, then the rebuilding, and so many families in the county lost _everything_, and we still at least had our plantation. I couldn't leave, and then I thought you would've found someone, but then I thought, no, he wouldn't, he couldn't, but then-"

"Better late than never, _Wapka Wi_," he interrupted quietly but forcefully, pulling her to him and giving her a long, loving kiss that he'd been waiting thirty years to deliver.

Later, when she told him about Jimmy, he lowered his head in mourning. When he asked her what gift his old friend had left for him, she laughed. "He told me to keep my promise," she replied, smoky eyes sparkling.

"How did he know we'd been waiting for each other this whole time?"

She shrugged. "I guess he just knew. Like he said, that's the way love is."

"Yes," Buck murmured, pulling her closer and kissing her hair, "that's the way love is. Thank you, my friend." A moment later he pulled away and looked at her with his familiar, mischievous half-smile. "So, how does Brenna Mackenzie Cross sound?"

"It sounds perfect," she told him with a laugh, "and long overdue!"

End!

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Yay! Thanks, everyone, for all the support! 

10/30/04


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